Smelly Carpenter Ant vs Japanese Scoliid Wasp

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Smelly Carpenter Ant Japanese Scoliid Wasp
Scientific Name Dolichoderus thoracicus Scolia oculata
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Formicidae Scoliidae
Size 3-4 mm 20-30 mm
Habitat Farmland Underground
Diet Omnivores Nectar Feeders
Regions Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia Japan, China, Korea
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Smelly Carpenter Ant

A Southeast Asian dolichoderine ant that tends mealybugs inside shelters built from chewed plant material. It is a significant pest of cacao and coconut plantations.

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Did You Know?

They build elaborate carton tents over mealybug colonies on crop plants, protecting their honeydew source from rain and predators.

Japanese Scoliid Wasp

A large black wasp with distinctive eye-like yellow spots on the abdomen found in East Asia. It parasitizes the larvae of large dynastid beetles.

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Did You Know?

Its yellow abdominal markings resemble large eyes, which may serve to startle potential predators.