Common Rustic vs Golden Carpenter Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Common Rustic Golden Carpenter Ant
Scientific Name Mesapamea secalis Camponotus sericeiventris
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Noctuidae Formicidae
Size 26-34 mm wingspan 8-18 mm
Habitat Farmland Forests
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Europe Central and South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Common Rustic

A highly variable common moth that forms a species complex with the Lesser Common Rustic. External appearance is unreliable for identification. Larvae feed inside grass stems.

💡

Did You Know?

So similar to its sibling species that they were not recognized as separate species until 1983.

Golden Carpenter Ant

A striking large ant with dense golden or silvery pubescence covering its gaster, giving it a metallic sheen. Workers are among the largest ants in the Neotropics. They nest in both live and dead trees in tropical forests.

💡

Did You Know?

The dense pubescence on their body is thought to serve a thermoregulatory function similar to the Saharan silver ant.