Mountain Demoiselle vs Black Garden Ant
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Mountain Demoiselle | Black Garden Ant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calopteryx exul | Lasius niger |
| Order | Odonata | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Calopterygidae | Formicidae |
| Size | 45-52 mm | 3-5 mm |
| Habitat | Mountains | Woodlands |
| Diet | Omnivores | Omnivores |
| Regions | Africa | Europe, Western Asia, introduced to North America |
| Conservation | Endangered | Least Concern |
Mountain Demoiselle
A rare North African demoiselle restricted to mountain streams in Algeria and Tunisia. Males have dark blue-tinted wings and metallic blue-green bodies.
Did You Know?
It is one of the rarest demoiselles in the world, confined to a handful of streams in the Atlas Mountains.
Black Garden Ant
The most common ant in Europe, dark brown to black with a slightly pubescent body. Colonies are monogynous and can persist for decades under a single long-lived queen. Workers are highly adaptable generalist foragers.
Did You Know?
Queens of this species can live for nearly 30 years, making them some of the longest-lived insects on Earth.