
Community identification
Ensign Wasp
Evaniidae (family)
- Order & Family
- Order: Hymenoptera; Family: Evaniidae
- Size
- 3 to 7 mm (0.1 to 0.3 inches)
Natural Habitat
Found globally, often indoors or near structures where cockroaches are present; naturally occurring in forests and grasslands.
Diet & Feeding
Adults feed on flower nectar and honeydew; larvae are predatory, feeding exclusively on cockroach eggs within their cases (oothecae).
Behavior Patterns
Active during the day; they are solitary wasps known for their characteristic 'flag-like' abdomen that they jerk up and down while walking. They do not build nests.
Risks & Benefits
Highly beneficial to humans as they act as a natural biological control for cockroach populations; they do not sting or bite humans and are considered harmless.