Honeypot Ant vs Waved Sphinx Moth
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Honeypot Ant | Waved Sphinx Moth |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Myrmecocystus mimicus | Ceratomia undulosa |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Formicidae | Sphingidae |
| Size | 4-10 mm | 75-100 mm |
| Habitat | Heathland | Woodlands |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | Southwestern United States | Eastern North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Honeypot Ant
A honey ant species that engages in ritualized territorial tournaments between neighboring colonies. Workers are amber-colored and colonies maintain dozens of repletes. Tournament battles involve workers stilting on raised legs to appear larger.
Did You Know?
Their territorial tournaments involve hundreds of workers from rival colonies displaying on stilted legs, but rarely result in actual fighting.
Waved Sphinx Moth
A large gray hawk moth with wavy dark lines across the forewings, providing superb bark camouflage. It is one of the most commonly encountered sphingids at lights in eastern North America.
Did You Know?
The waved sphinx is so common at porch lights in the eastern US that it is often the first sphinx moth most people encounter.