Pacific Velvet Ant vs Willow Bean-Gall Sawfly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Pacific Velvet Ant | Willow Bean-Gall Sawfly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dasymutilla sackenii | Pontania proxima |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Mutillidae | Tenthredinidae |
| Size | 10-16 mm | 3-5 mm |
| Habitat | Beaches & Coastal | Wetlands |
| Diet | Parasitoids | Herbivores |
| Regions | Western North America | Europe, Western Asia |
| 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.
Willow Bean-Gall Sawfly
A tiny sawfly that induces distinctive bean-shaped galls on the leaves of various willow species. Each gall contains a single larva feeding on internal gall tissue.
Did You Know?
The gall-inducing chemicals secreted by the larva redirect the plant's growth to create a nutrient-rich chamber specifically for the larva's benefit.