Spalangia Fly Parasite vs Japanese Maple Sawfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Spalangia Fly Parasite Japanese Maple Sawfly
Scientific Name Spalangia cameroni Megalodontes cephalotes
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Pteromalidae Pamphiliidae
Size 1.5-2.5 mm 12-18 mm
Habitat Farmland Meadows
Diet Scavengers Herbivores
Regions Worldwide Southern and Central Europe
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Spalangia Fly Parasite

A small dark wasp that parasitizes fly pupae in manure and decaying organic matter. It is commercially reared for biological control of filth flies on livestock farms.

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Did You Know?

Millions are commercially released on cattle and poultry farms each year to suppress nuisance house flies and stable flies.

Japanese Maple Sawfly

A colorful web-spinning sawfly with a large head, bright orange body, and distinctive long antennae. It is associated with umbelliferous plants in southern Europe.

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Did You Know?

Despite its common association with umbellifers, this species belongs to a family mostly known for conifer and broadleaf tree feeders.