Scarlet-Bodied Pergid Sawfly vs Sugar Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Scarlet-Bodied Pergid Sawfly Sugar Ant
Scientific Name Perga kirbyi Camponotus consobrinus
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Pergidae Formicidae
Size 16-24 mm 5-15 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Herbivores Nectar Feeders
Regions Australia Australia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Scarlet-Bodied Pergid Sawfly

A large, robustly built Australian sawfly with a bright scarlet to red-orange abdomen and dark head and thorax. Its spitfire larvae feed on eucalyptus in tight clusters.

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Did You Know?

Adult females demonstrate rare parental care for an insect by guarding their egg batch and early-instar larvae on the eucalyptus leaf.

Sugar Ant

A common Australian ant with an orange-brown thorax and black head and abdomen. It is mainly nocturnal and frequently enters homes seeking sweet foods.

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Did You Know?

Despite their common name, the term 'sugar ant' in Australia refers specifically to this species, unlike the generic use elsewhere.