Madagascan Headlight Beetle vs Larger Citronella Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Madagascan Headlight Beetle Larger Citronella Ant
Scientific Name Heteronychus arator madagascariensis Lasius interjectus
Order Coleoptera Hymenoptera
Family Scarabaeidae Formicidae
Size 12-16 mm 4-4.5 mm
Habitat Farmland Caves
Diet Root Feeders Root Feeders
Regions Madagascar Eastern North America
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Madagascan Headlight Beetle

A dark scarab beetle found in Madagascar that is an agricultural pest of grasses. Larvae develop in soil feeding on plant roots.

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Did You Know?

Adults are strong fliers and are attracted to lights at night in large numbers.

Larger Citronella Ant

A subterranean yellow ant that emits a strong lemon-like odor when crushed. It lives entirely underground tending root-feeding aphids for honeydew.

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Did You Know?

These ants are rarely seen above ground except during mating flights, when winged reproductives emerge in large swarms.