Japanese Carpenter Ant vs Red Velvet Ant
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Japanese Carpenter Ant | Red Velvet Ant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Camponotus japonicus | Dasymutilla magnifica |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Formicidae | Mutillidae |
| Size | 7-13 mm | 12-20 mm |
| Habitat | Underground | Deserts & Drylands |
| Diet | Omnivores | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | Japan, China, Korea | Southwestern United States, Mexico |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Japanese Carpenter Ant
A large black carpenter ant common throughout East Asia and a popular species in ant keeping. Colonies can grow very large with distinctive polymorphic worker castes.
Did You Know?
This ant is one of the most commonly kept pet ant species in Japan and has become an icon in the Japanese ant-keeping hobby.
Red Velvet Ant
A large, brilliantly red-haired velvet ant found in the arid regions of the American Southwest. Females are wingless and run rapidly across open ground.
Did You Know?
Its exoskeleton is so tough that entomological pins often bend when researchers attempt to mount specimens.