Black-Headed Ash Sawfly vs Malagasy Trap-jaw Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Black-Headed Ash Sawfly Malagasy Trap-jaw Ant
Scientific Name Tethida barda Mystrium oberthueri
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Tenthredinidae Amblyoponidae
Size 6-8 mm 4-7 mm
Habitat Forests Woodlands
Diet Herbivores Omnivores
Regions Eastern North America Madagascar
Conservation Least Concern Data Deficient

Black-Headed Ash Sawfly

A small sawfly whose larvae have distinctive black heads and whitish-green bodies. They feed on the underside of ash leaflets, skeletonizing them.

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Did You Know?

This species is often mistaken for moth caterpillars, but like all sawfly larvae, it has more than five pairs of prolegs on its abdomen.

Malagasy Trap-jaw Ant

A pale yellow to amber ant with elongated mandibles that can snap shut at extreme speeds. It is closely related to M. camillae and shares the Dracula ant feeding behavior.

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Did You Know?

Like other Dracula ants, workers feed by non-destructively puncturing larval skin and drinking hemolymph, a practice unique among ants.