Green-head Ant vs Pacific Velvet Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Green-head Ant Pacific Velvet Ant
Scientific Name Rhytidoponera metallica Dasymutilla sackenii
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Formicidae Mutillidae
Size 5-7 mm 10-16 mm
Habitat Gardens Beaches & Coastal
Diet Seed Feeders Parasitoids
Regions Australia Western North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Green-head Ant

A common Australian ant with an iridescent metallic green or purple sheen on its head and body. It is one of the most frequently encountered ants in Australian gardens and bushland.

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Did You Know?

Colonies are often queenless, with mated workers called gamergates taking over reproduction.

Pacific Velvet Ant

A medium-sized velvet ant with orange and black coloring found along the Pacific coast of North America. It parasitizes ground-nesting bees and wasps.

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Did You Know?

Males are winged and look so different from the wingless females that they were originally described as separate species.