Tropical Fire Ant vs Fluted-horn Dung Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Tropical Fire Ant Fluted-horn Dung Beetle
Scientific Name Solenopsis geminata Copris elphenor
Order Hymenoptera Coleoptera
Family Formicidae Scarabaeidae
Size 2-6 mm 20-35 mm
Habitat Grasslands Grasslands
Diet Seed Feeders Dung Feeders
Regions Pantropical East Africa, Southern Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Tropical Fire Ant

A pantropical fire ant with large-headed major workers specialized for seed milling. It is one of the oldest known invasive ant species, spread globally through colonial trade routes.

💡

Did You Know?

It was likely transported around the world in soil ballast of Spanish galleons during the 16th century.

Fluted-horn Dung Beetle

A large black dung beetle with a prominent curved horn on the male's head. It buries dung balls underground to provision its brood.

💡

Did You Know?

A single pair can bury a dung ball weighing over 200 times their own body weight in one night.