Mottled Umber Moth vs Acacia Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Mottled Umber Moth Acacia Ant
Scientific Name Erannis defoliaria Pseudomyrmex ferruginea
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Geometridae Formicidae
Size 35-45 mm wingspan (males) 3-5 mm
Habitat Orchards Heathland
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Europe, Western Asia Mexico, Central America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Mottled Umber Moth

A variably patterned brown moth where males range from pale to almost black. Females are completely wingless and resemble small spiders.

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Did You Know?

Wingless females attract mates by releasing pheromones from the trunk of their host tree.

Acacia Ant

A slender orange-brown ant that lives inside the swollen thorns of bullhorn acacia trees in a classic mutualistic relationship. It aggressively defends its host tree from all herbivores.

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Did You Know?

They attack any plant growing near their host tree, clearing competing vegetation to give the acacia a competitive advantage.