Oak Slug Sawfly vs Desert Navigator Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Oak Slug Sawfly Desert Navigator Ant
Scientific Name Caliroa quercuscoccineae Cataglyphis fortis
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Tenthredinidae Formicidae
Size 4-5 mm (adult) 6-10 mm
Habitat Woodlands Deserts & Drylands
Diet Herbivores Omnivores
Regions North America Africa
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Oak Slug Sawfly

A slug-like sawfly larva that skeletonizes oak leaves in North America. Severe infestations cause browning of the canopy by midsummer.

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Did You Know?

The slimy larval coating deters most predators except for a few specialized parasitoid wasps.

Desert Navigator Ant

A heat-tolerant Saharan ant famous for its extraordinary navigation abilities. It uses a built-in pedometer and polarized light compass to find its way home.

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Did You Know?

It counts its own steps to measure distance and can navigate home in a straight line from hundreds of meters away.