Green Tree Ant vs Two-banded Wasp Hoverfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Green Tree Ant Two-banded Wasp Hoverfly
Scientific Name Oecophylla smaragdina subnitida Chrysotoxum bicinctum
Order Hymenoptera Diptera
Family Formicidae Syrphidae
Size 5-10 mm 10-14 mm
Habitat Forests Underground
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Northern Australia Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Green Tree Ant

An Australian subspecies of the Asian weaver ant with distinctive bright green coloring. Indigenous Australians have traditionally eaten them and used their nests for medicinal purposes.

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Did You Know?

They taste like lime or lemongrass due to their high formic acid content and are eaten as bush food in northern Australia.

Two-banded Wasp Hoverfly

A striking wasp-mimicking hoverfly with bold yellow and black banding. Distinguished from wasps by its hovering flight and single pair of wings. Larvae develop in ant nests.

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Did You Know?

Despite being a harmless hoverfly, its excellent wasp mimicry deters most predators.