South American Velvet Ant vs Steelblue Ichneumon
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | South American Velvet Ant | Steelblue Ichneumon |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Traumatomutilla indica | Lissopimpla excelsa |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Mutillidae | Ichneumonidae |
| Size | 15-22 mm | 12-18 mm |
| Habitat | Grasslands | Orchards |
| Diet | Omnivores | Parasitoids |
| Regions | South America | Australia, New Zealand |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
South American Velvet Ant
A large tropical velvet ant with striking black and orange patterns. Despite its species name, it is native to South America and not India.
Did You Know?
Its species name 'indica' was assigned in error and does not reflect its true South American distribution.
Steelblue Ichneumon
A metallic blue-black ichneumon wasp native to Australia. It is an important parasitoid of pest caterpillars including the introduced cabbage moth.
Did You Know?
It was deliberately introduced to New Zealand to help control pest moth populations in agriculture.