Cuckoo Bumblebee vs Schaufuss's Rover Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Cuckoo Bumblebee Schaufuss's Rover Ant
Scientific Name Bombus vestalis Tetramorium schaufussii
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Apidae Formicidae
Size 15-22mm 2-3.5 mm
Habitat Woodlands Underground
Diet Parasites Seed Feeders
Regions Europe Madagascar
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Cuckoo Bumblebee

A social parasite that invades buff-tailed bumblebee nests, kills the queen and enslaves the workers.

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Did You Know?

Enters the nest of its host species, fights and kills the queen, then forces the workers to raise her own offspring.

Schaufuss's Rover Ant

A small ant with coarsely sculptured integument and short propodeal spines. It belongs to a species group that is entirely endemic to Madagascar.

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Did You Know?

Molecular studies suggest its species group arrived in Madagascar via a single colonization event and then diversified explosively.