Painted Hickory Borer vs Dinosaur Ant
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Painted Hickory Borer | Dinosaur Ant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Megacyllene caryae | Nothomyrmecia macrops |
| Order | Coleoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Cerambycidae | Formicidae |
| Size | 14-22 mm | 10-15 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Woodlands |
| Diet | Omnivores | Omnivores |
| Regions | Eastern North America | Oceania |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Critically Endangered |
Painted Hickory Borer
A handsome cerambycid with white zigzag markings on dark brown elytra, breeding in dead hickory and oak in eastern North America. Adults appear in spring, unlike the autumn-active locust borer. It is frequently found on freshly cut firewood.
Did You Know?
This species and the locust borer are near-perfect lookalikes but are separated by season: spring vs. autumn emergence.
Dinosaur Ant
Considered the most primitive living ant, often called a living fossil. Discovered in 1931 and then lost for 46 years until rediscovered in 1977 in South Australia.
Did You Know?
This ant was lost to science for 46 years after its discovery — rediscovered by pure luck when an entomologist pulled over to sleep at the roadside where they happened to live.