Silver-spotted Ghost Moth vs African Fig Wasp

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Silver-spotted Ghost Moth African Fig Wasp
Scientific Name Sthenopis argenteomaculatus Ceratosolen capensis
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Hepialidae Agaonidae
Size 60-75 mm wingspan 1-3 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Rivers & Streams
Diet Root Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Eastern North America Southern Africa, East Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Silver-spotted Ghost Moth

A large ghost moth from North America with silver-spotted wings. Caterpillars bore into the roots of alder trees, taking two years to develop. Adults emerge for brief nocturnal mating flights.

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Did You Know?

Larvae spend up to two years boring through alder tree roots in waterlogged soil before pupating.

African Fig Wasp

A tiny wasp with an obligate mutualistic relationship with African fig trees. Females enter figs through a narrow opening to pollinate and lay eggs.

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Did You Know?

Each fig species has its own specific fig wasp pollinator, making them one of nature's most precise co-evolutionary partnerships.