Australian Velvet Ant vs Dusky Birch Sawfly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Australian Velvet Ant | Dusky Birch Sawfly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ephutomorpha queenslandica | Croesus latitarsus |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Mutillidae | Tenthredinidae |
| Size | 8-15 mm | 8-10 mm |
| Habitat | Deserts & Drylands | Woodlands |
| Diet | Parasitoids | Herbivores |
| Regions | Australia | North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Australian Velvet Ant
An Australian wingless wasp with orange and black velvety coloring. It parasitizes ground-nesting native bees in tropical and subtropical Queensland.
Did You Know?
Australian velvet ants are far less studied than their American counterparts, with many species still awaiting formal description.
Dusky Birch Sawfly
A medium-sized sawfly with an orange abdomen and black head and thorax. Larvae are yellowish-green with dark spots and feed in rows along the edges of birch leaves.
Did You Know?
The larvae feed in a distinctive edge-to-edge pattern, consuming the leaf blade while leaving the midrib intact like a fishbone.