Mediterranean Flour Moth vs Thatching Ant
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Mediterranean Flour Moth | Thatching Ant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ephestia kuehniella | Formica obscuripes |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Pyralidae | Formicidae |
| Size | 10-14 mm body; 20-25 mm wingspan | 4-8 mm |
| Habitat | Indoors | Meadows |
| Diet | Seed Feeders | Seed Feeders |
| Regions | Worldwide | Western North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Mediterranean Flour Moth
A major pest of flour mills that produces dense silken webbing that clogs milling machinery. It is pale grey with zigzag markings on the forewings.
Did You Know?
It was the first insect used to demonstrate biological pest control with parasitoid wasps in the early 1900s.
Thatching Ant
A mound-building ant of western North America that constructs large thatched nests from plant debris. Workers are bicolored red and black with powerful mandibles.
Did You Know?
Their mounds can reach over a meter tall and persist for decades, becoming important microhabitats for other organisms.