Tobacco Caterpillar Braconid vs Great Golden Digger Wasp
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Tobacco Caterpillar Braconid | Great Golden Digger Wasp |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Microplitis demolitor | Sphex ichneumoneus |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Braconidae | Sphecidae |
| Size | 2-4 mm | 18-28 mm |
| Habitat | Farmland | Deserts & Drylands |
| Diet | Parasitoids | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | North America, South America, Australia | Throughout the United States and southern Canada |
| Conservation | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
Tobacco Caterpillar Braconid
A small endoparasitoid wasp that injects polydnavirus along with its eggs into caterpillar hosts. It is an important natural enemy of soybean looper and corn earworm.
Did You Know?
It injects a symbiotic virus along with its eggs that suppresses the caterpillar's immune system.
Great Golden Digger Wasp
A large solitary wasp with a golden-furred thorax and orange-red legs that digs burrows in sandy soil. It provisions its nest with paralyzed katydids and crickets.
Did You Know?
It always performs a specific inspection routine of its burrow before dragging prey inside, a behavior famously studied by early ethologists.