Acrobat Ant vs Red-banded Hairstreak

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Acrobat Ant Red-banded Hairstreak
Scientific Name Crematogaster scutellaris Calycopis cecrops
Order Hymenoptera Lepidoptera
Family Formicidae Lycaenidae
Size 3-5 mm 22-30 mm wingspan
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Wood Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Southern Europe, North Africa North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Acrobat Ant

A Mediterranean ant with a heart-shaped abdomen it raises over its thorax when alarmed. They nest in dead wood, old walls, and cork oak bark.

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Did You Know?

They can raise their abdomen over their head to smear venom on attackers, earning them the name acrobat ants.

Red-banded Hairstreak

Small dark butterfly with a prominent red-orange postmedian band on the underside. Hindwings bear false head pattern with tails.

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Did You Know?

Its larvae are detritivores, uniquely feeding on decomposing fallen leaves rather than live foliage.