Doorkeeper Ant vs Aphytis Wasp
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Doorkeeper Ant | Aphytis Wasp |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Colobopsis truncata | Aphytis melinus |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Formicidae | Aphelinidae |
| Size | 3-6 mm | 0.8-1.2 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Orchards |
| Diet | Gall Makers | Parasitoids |
| Regions | Southern and Central Europe | Worldwide citrus-growing regions |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Not Evaluated |
Doorkeeper Ant
A European carpenter ant in which soldiers have uniquely flattened, plug-shaped heads used to block nest entrances in plant stems. Workers are bicolored yellow and dark brown. They nest in hollow twigs and galls of various trees.
Did You Know?
Soldier ants literally use their flattened heads as living doors, opening the nest entrance only when nestmates present the correct chemical password.
Aphytis Wasp
A tiny golden-yellow parasitoid wasp that is the primary biocontrol agent of California red scale on citrus. It lays eggs beneath the scale cover where its larva feeds externally on the host.
Did You Know?
California produces over one billion of these wasps per year for release in citrus orchards.