Virginia Pine Sawfly vs Exploding Ant
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Virginia Pine Sawfly | Exploding Ant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Neodiprion pratti pratti | Colobopsis explodens |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Diprionidae | Formicidae |
| Size | 6-8 mm | 4-6 mm |
| Habitat | Forests | Forests |
| Diet | Omnivores | Fungus Feeders |
| Regions | Southeastern United States | Asia |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Virginia Pine Sawfly
A pine sawfly whose larvae are greenish-yellow with prominent dark stripes. It preferentially attacks Virginia pine and other hard pines in the southeastern United States.
Did You Know?
This subspecies is restricted to Virginia pine, showing the host specificity that characterizes many Neodiprion sawfly taxa.
Exploding Ant
Minor workers can deliberately rupture their own bodies in an act of self-sacrifice, releasing a toxic sticky yellow secretion that entangles and kills attackers. Described new in 2018.
Did You Know?
When threatened, these ants literally explode — minor workers contract their abdominal muscles so violently they burst open, spraying toxic glue on attackers in a suicidal defense.