Fire-tailed Cuckoo Wasp vs Asian Army Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Fire-tailed Cuckoo Wasp Asian Army Ant
Scientific Name Chrysis viridula Aenictus laeviceps
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Chrysididae Formicidae
Size 6-10 mm 2-4 mm
Habitat Woodlands Underground
Diet Parasites Omnivores
Regions Europe, Western Asia Southeast Asia, India, Sri Lanka
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Fire-tailed Cuckoo Wasp

A metallic green cuckoo wasp with a distinctive red-gold abdomen tipped with four small teeth. It parasitizes the nests of cavity-nesting solitary wasps.

💡

Did You Know?

The number of teeth on the tip of the abdomen is a key feature used to identify different cuckoo wasp species.

Asian Army Ant

A small, pale yellow army ant widespread across tropical Asia. Colonies raid nests of other ants and termites in organized columns. Workers are entirely blind and rely on chemical trails for coordination during foraging and migration.

💡

Did You Know?

They are the only army ant genus found across both Asia and Africa, suggesting an ancient origin before these continents separated.