Spider Wasp vs Predaceous Diving Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Spider Wasp Predaceous Diving Beetle
Scientific Name Cryptocheilus bicolor Cybister lateralimarginalis
Order Hymenoptera Coleoptera
Family Pompilidae Dytiscidae
Size 20-35 mm 30-37 mm
Habitat Woodlands Ponds & Lakes
Diet Predators Predators
Regions Oceania Southern Europe, Africa, Middle East
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Spider Wasp

A large orange and black wasp that hunts huntsman spiders for its larvae.

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Did You Know?

It paralyzes spiders many times its own weight and drags them to a burrow.

Predaceous Diving Beetle

A large olive-green diving beetle found across southern Europe and Africa. It is a powerful swimmer that hunts a range of aquatic animals.

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Did You Know?

In some parts of Asia and Africa, large Cybister species are collected and eaten as a traditional food source.