North American Horntail vs Slender Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute North American Horntail Slender Ant
Scientific Name Tremex columba Myrmica scabrinodis
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Siricidae Formicidae
Size 25–50 mm 3.5-5 mm
Habitat Woodlands Grasslands
Diet Wood Feeders Seed Feeders
Regions Eastern North America Europe, Western Asia
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

North American Horntail

A large horntail wasp found across eastern North America. It attacks dead and dying hardwood trees such as beech, maple, and elm.

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Did You Know?

The parasitoid wasp Megarhyssa macrurus uses its extremely long ovipositor to reach horntail larvae deep inside wood.

Slender Ant

A medium-sized red-brown ant with coarsely sculptured cuticle, common in grasslands across Europe. Colonies are typically monogynous with a single queen. Workers forage close to the nest in tussock grass.

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Did You Know?

This species is an important host for the Dusky Large Blue butterfly in wetland habitats across Europe.