Pacific Velvet Ant vs Twig Ant
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Pacific Velvet Ant | Twig Ant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dasymutilla sackenii | Pseudomyrmex gracilis |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Mutillidae | Formicidae |
| Size | 10-16 mm | 8-10 mm |
| Habitat | Beaches & Coastal | Forests |
| Diet | Parasitoids | Predators |
| Regions | Western North America | North America, Central America, South America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Pacific Velvet Ant
A medium-sized velvet ant with orange and black coloring found along the Pacific coast of North America. It parasitizes ground-nesting bees and wasps.
Did You Know?
Males are winged and look so different from the wingless females that they were originally described as separate species.
Twig Ant
A slender fast-moving ant that nests in hollow twigs and delivers a painful sting.
Did You Know?
It has excellent vision and can spot approaching threats from several centimeters away.