North American Water Scorpion vs Western Harvester Ant
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | North American Water Scorpion | Western Harvester Ant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ranatra fusca | Pogonomyrmex occidentalis |
| Order | Hemiptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Nepidae | Formicidae |
| Size | 28-40 mm including siphon | 6-10 mm |
| Habitat | Wetlands | Grasslands |
| Diet | Herbivores | Herbivores |
| Regions | North America | Western United States and southwestern Canada |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
North American Water Scorpion
A stick-like aquatic predator found in ponds and marshes across eastern North America. It walks slowly on submerged vegetation to ambush prey.
Did You Know?
Despite being fully winged, it rarely flies and prefers to walk along the bottom of shallow ponds.
Western Harvester Ant
A large red ant that constructs conspicuous gravel-topped mound nests in western grasslands. It clears all vegetation from a wide circle around its nest entrance.
Did You Know?
Its sting is one of the most painful among North American ants and has been rated highly on the Schmidt pain index.