Small Fan-footed Wave vs Lesser Bullet Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Small Fan-footed Wave Lesser Bullet Ant
Scientific Name Idaea biselata Neoponera villosa
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Geometridae Formicidae
Size 20-24 mm wingspan 10-14 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Herbivores Wood Feeders
Regions Europe Southern United States, Central America, South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Small Fan-footed Wave

A small, delicate moth with pale buff wings and fine dark cross-lines. Common in deciduous woodland. Larvae feed on dead leaves on the woodland floor.

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Did You Know?

Named for the male's fan-shaped front legs that are displayed during courtship.

Lesser Bullet Ant

A large black ponerine ant found from Texas through South America with a powerful sting. It nests in tree hollows and dead wood, foraging arboreally at night.

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Did You Know?

It is sometimes called the 'false bullet ant' because its sting, while very painful, is less severe than that of Paraponera.