Australian Stink Ant vs European Wheat Stem Sawfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Australian Stink Ant European Wheat Stem Sawfly
Scientific Name Iridomyrmex bicknelli Cephus pygmeus
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Formicidae Cephidae
Size 3-5 mm 8-10 mm (adult)
Habitat Woodlands Farmland
Diet Sap Feeders Omnivores
Regions Australia, Oceania Europe, Asia, North America
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Australian Stink Ant

A small, fast-moving ant that releases a strong, unpleasant odour when crushed, giving it its common name. It forms large colonies and is one of the most common ants in Australian suburban environments.

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Did You Know?

Iridomyrmex ants dominate Australian ant communities and are among the most ecologically successful ants in the Southern Hemisphere.

European Wheat Stem Sawfly

A stem-boring sawfly pest of wheat and other cereals throughout Europe and western Asia. It has also established in parts of North America.

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Did You Know?

Solid-stemmed wheat varieties were bred specifically to resist stem sawfly larval boring.