Eastern Carpenter Bee vs Slave-Maker Ant
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Eastern Carpenter Bee | Slave-Maker Ant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Xylocopa virginica | Temnothorax americanus |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Apidae | Formicidae |
| Size | 19-23 mm | 2-3 mm |
| Habitat | Gardens | Farmland |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Omnivores |
| Regions | Eastern North America | Eastern North America |
| Conservation | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
Eastern Carpenter Bee
A large robust bee that resembles a bumble bee but has a shiny black hairless abdomen. It excavates nesting tunnels in wood and is an effective pollinator of many garden flowers and crops.
Did You Know?
Males are extremely territorial and will hover aggressively near people, but they lack a stinger and cannot sting.
Slave-Maker Ant
A tiny North American slave-making ant that raids colonies of closely related Temnothorax species. Workers have saber-like mandibles used in raids. Enslaved workers eventually perform all domestic tasks while raiders focus solely on conducting new raids.
Did You Know?
Enslaved Temnothorax workers sometimes rebel by destroying the slave-maker brood they are supposed to rear, reducing the raiding colony's future workforce.