Woolly Alder Sawfly vs Horned Baboon Spider-hunting Wasp
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Woolly Alder Sawfly | Horned Baboon Spider-hunting Wasp |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eriocampa ovata | Sphex tomentosus |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Tenthredinidae | Sphecidae |
| Size | 5-7 mm | 25-35 mm |
| Habitat | Rivers & Streams | Deserts & Drylands |
| Diet | Herbivores | Predators |
| Regions | Europe, introduced to North America | East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Woolly Alder Sawfly
A small, dark sawfly whose larvae are covered in a white, woolly, waxy secretion. The larvae feed on the underside of alder leaves.
Did You Know?
The white waxy covering on the larva closely resembles woolly aphids, a possible case of defensive mimicry.
Horned Baboon Spider-hunting Wasp
A large, solitary wasp with a black body and metallic blue-green sheen. It hunts grasshoppers and katydids, paralyzing them and provisioning underground nest cells.
Did You Know?
French naturalist Jean-Henri Fabre's observations of this wasp's rigid behavioral routines led to famous debates about insect intelligence.