American Slave-Maker Ant vs Totara Longhorn Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute American Slave-Maker Ant Totara Longhorn Beetle
Scientific Name Polyergus lucidus Xylotoles costatus
Order Hymenoptera Coleoptera
Family Formicidae Cerambycidae
Size 5-7 mm 1-2 cm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Omnivores Wood Feeders
Regions Eastern North America New Zealand
Conservation Not Evaluated Endangered

American Slave-Maker Ant

A North American slave-making ant that conducts well-organized raids on Formica colonies. New queens infiltrate host colonies by killing the resident queen.

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Did You Know?

During raids, they release propaganda pheromones that cause defending ants to flee or fight each other instead of the raiders.

Totara Longhorn Beetle

A longhorn beetle endemic to the Chatham Islands of New Zealand. It breeds in dead wood of native Dracophyllum trees.

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Did You Know?

The Chatham Islands have been so heavily deforested that many of their endemic insects are now critically rare.