Tiger Bee Fly vs Common Pimpline Wasp

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Tiger Bee Fly Common Pimpline Wasp
Scientific Name Xenox tigrinus Pimpla hypochondriaca
Order Diptera Hymenoptera
Family Bombyliidae Ichneumonidae
Size 12-18 mm 10-15 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Parasitoids Parasitoids
Regions North America Europe, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Tiger Bee Fly

A large, dramatic bee fly with boldly patterned black and white spotted wings. It is commonly seen flying around wooden structures where its host carpenter bees nest.

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Did You Know?

Females hover at carpenter bee nest entrances and flick eggs inside while the bee is away foraging.

Common Pimpline Wasp

A stout black parasitoid wasp that attacks moth and butterfly pupae. It is one of the most frequently encountered ichneumonids in Europe.

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Did You Know?

Females inject venom that permanently paralyzes the host pupa before laying an egg on it.