Zayante Band-winged Grasshopper vs Red-winged Spider Wasp

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Zayante Band-winged Grasshopper Red-winged Spider Wasp
Scientific Name Trimerotropis infantilis Tachypompilus ferrugineus
Order Orthoptera Hymenoptera
Family Acrididae Pompilidae
Size 2-3 cm 18-28 mm
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Deserts & Drylands
Diet Herbivores Predators
Regions United States North America
Conservation Endangered Least Concern

Zayante Band-winged Grasshopper

A small grasshopper found only in sand parkland habitats in Santa Cruz County, California. It is superbly camouflaged against the grey Zayante sand.

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Did You Know?

Its entire world range covers less than 600 acres of sandy habitat in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Red-winged Spider Wasp

A large rusty-red spider wasp that hunts wolf spiders and other large ground spiders. It drags paralyzed prey across the ground to its burrow.

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Did You Know?

Females can drag spiders many times their own weight across rough terrain to reach their nesting burrows.