Ant Beetle vs African Bark Mantis

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Ant Beetle African Bark Mantis
Scientific Name Thanasimus formicarius Tarachodes afzelii
Order Coleoptera Mantodea
Family Cleridae Eremiaphilidae
Size 7-10mm 25-35 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Predators Predators
Regions Europe, Asia West Africa, Central Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Ant Beetle

A brightly colored red and black bark beetle predator that mimics ants. It hunts bark beetles on pine trees.

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Did You Know?

An important natural enemy of bark beetles used in integrated pest management of conifer forests.

African Bark Mantis

A small flat mantis with mottled grey-brown coloring perfectly matching tree bark. It presses its body flat against trunks to hunt.

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Did You Know?

They run sideways across bark surfaces with remarkable speed, a behavior unique among mantises.