Tawny Crazy Ant vs Bombardier Beetle
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Tawny Crazy Ant | Bombardier Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nylanderia fulva | Brachinus crepitans |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Formicidae | Carabidae |
| Size | 2-3 mm | 5-13 mm |
| Habitat | Beaches & Coastal | Rivers & Streams |
| Diet | Omnivores | Omnivores |
| Regions | South America, Southern United States | Europe, North America, Asia, Africa |
| Conservation | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
Tawny Crazy Ant
A small reddish-brown ant that forms enormous supercolonies and is displacing fire ants in the southern United States. They are attracted to electrical equipment and often cause short circuits.
Did You Know?
They coat themselves in formic acid as an antidote after being stung by fire ants, a unique detoxification behavior.
Bombardier Beetle
Defends itself with a boiling-hot chemical spray ejected from its abdomen at over 100°C. The reaction involves mixing hydroquinone and hydrogen peroxide.
Did You Know?
The bombardier beetle fires its chemical spray at 100°C in rapid pulses of about 70 per second, allowing its internal reaction chamber to avoid exploding.