Hairy Wood Ant vs Swarm-Founding Wasp
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Hairy Wood Ant | Swarm-Founding Wasp |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Formica lugubris | Polybia paulista |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Formicidae | Vespidae |
| Size | 4-8 mm | 10-15 mm |
| Habitat | Forests | Woodlands |
| Diet | Carrion Feeders | Fruit Feeders |
| Regions | Europe, Northern Asia | Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Hairy Wood Ant
A large mound-building ant of upland coniferous forests with noticeably hairy body surfaces. It forms polydomous colonies with multiple interconnected nests.
Did You Know?
A supercolony in the Swiss Jura mountains contained over 1,200 interconnected nests spanning 70 hectares.
Swarm-Founding Wasp
A small dark social wasp that builds enclosed paper nests containing thousands of individuals. It is known for its aggressive colony defense.
Did You Know?
Its venom contains a peptide called Polybia-MP1 that has shown the ability to selectively destroy cancer cells in laboratory studies.