Coconut Ant vs Japanese Hotaruko Firefly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Coconut Ant Japanese Hotaruko Firefly
Scientific Name Tapinoma melanocephalum Pyrocoelia fumosa
Order Hymenoptera Coleoptera
Family Formicidae Lampyridae
Size 1.3-2 mm 12-20 mm
Habitat Indoors Mountains
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Pantropical, Global in heated buildings East Asia, Japan
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Coconut Ant

A tiny bicolored ant with a dark head and pale translucent body, also called the ghost ant. It is a major household pest in tropical regions worldwide.

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Did You Know?

Their translucent body makes their abdomen change color depending on what food they have recently eaten.

Japanese Hotaruko Firefly

A large terrestrial firefly with a dark brown body and bright reddish pronotum. The wingless, larviform females produce a bright sustained glow from the ground to attract flying males.

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Did You Know?

The Japanese name 'hotaruko' distinguishes these terrestrial glowworm-type fireflies from the aquatic 'hotaru' species.