Ivory-Spotted Dung Beetle vs Little Fire Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Ivory-Spotted Dung Beetle Little Fire Ant
Scientific Name Euoniticellus pallipes Wasmannia auropunctata
Order Coleoptera Hymenoptera
Family Scarabaeidae Formicidae
Size 5-8 mm 1-1.5 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Dung Feeders Omnivores
Regions Africa, introduced to Australia Central America, South America, Pacific Islands, Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Ivory-Spotted Dung Beetle

A small, pale brown tunneling dung beetle with ivory-colored legs. Native to Africa, it has been introduced to several countries as a biological control agent. It is especially efficient in warm, dry climates.

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Did You Know?

This tiny beetle can compete with much larger species by arriving first and tunneling quickly beneath fresh dung.

Little Fire Ant

A tiny golden-brown ant with a painful sting far out of proportion to its size. It is one of the most destructive invasive species, blinding pets and wildlife in infested areas.

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Did You Know?

Queens reproduce clonally, producing daughter queens genetically identical to themselves through a unique reproductive system.