Slender Ant vs Cotesia Congregata

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Slender Ant Cotesia Congregata
Scientific Name Myrmica scabrinodis Cotesia congregata
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Formicidae Braconidae
Size 3.5-5 mm 2-3 mm
Habitat Grasslands Farmland
Diet Seed Feeders Parasitoids
Regions Europe, Western Asia North America
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Slender Ant

A medium-sized red-brown ant with coarsely sculptured cuticle, common in grasslands across Europe. Colonies are typically monogynous with a single queen. Workers forage close to the nest in tussock grass.

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Did You Know?

This species is an important host for the Dusky Large Blue butterfly in wetland habitats across Europe.

Cotesia Congregata

A gregarious endoparasitoid whose larvae emerge en masse from hornworm caterpillars to spin white cocoons on the host's skin. It is a well-known natural enemy of tobacco and tomato hornworms.

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Did You Know?

Up to 300 larvae can emerge from a single hornworm caterpillar, covering it in tiny white silk cocoons.