Featherwing Beetle vs Cocktail Ant
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Featherwing Beetle | Cocktail Ant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Scydosella musawasensis | Crematogaster peringueyi |
| Order | Coleoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Ptiliidae | Formicidae |
| Size | 0.325 mm | 3-5 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Woodlands |
| Diet | Fungus Feeders | Wood Feeders |
| Regions | Central America | Southern Africa |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Featherwing Beetle
The smallest known free-living (non-parasitic) insect at just 0.325 mm long. Discovered in Nicaragua in 1999, it feeds on spores of basidiomycete fungi in rotting wood.
Did You Know?
At 0.325 mm, this beetle is about the width of the period at the end of this sentence — yet it is a fully functional adult insect with complete organ systems.
Cocktail Ant
A small dark ant that holds its heart-shaped gaster raised above its body like a flag. It nests in dead wood and under bark.
Did You Know?
When alarmed, they raise their abdomen over their back like a scorpion and exude a drop of repellent venom.