Heike Firefly vs West African Driver Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Heike Firefly West African Driver Ant
Scientific Name Luciola lateralis Dorylus molestus
Order Coleoptera Hymenoptera
Family Lampyridae Formicidae
Size 7-10 mm 3-14 mm
Habitat Farmland Forests
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Japan, Korean Peninsula East Africa, Kenya, Tanzania
Conservation Near Threatened Least Concern

Heike Firefly

A Japanese firefly associated with rice paddies, smaller than the Genji firefly. It flashes more rapidly and is found in lowland wetland habitats.

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Did You Know?

It is named after the Heike clan from Japanese history and is celebrated alongside the Genji firefly in summer festivals.

West African Driver Ant

A large East African driver ant known for its painful bites that are difficult to remove once clamped. Columns can stretch for hundreds of meters through montane forests.

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Did You Know?

Their major workers have sickle-shaped mandibles so powerful that they can pierce leather boots.