Spanish Fly Beetle vs Western Harvester Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Spanish Fly Beetle Western Harvester Ant
Scientific Name Berberomeloe majalis Pogonomyrmex occidentalis
Order Coleoptera Hymenoptera
Family Meloidae Formicidae
Size 30-70mm 6-10 mm
Habitat Grasslands Grasslands
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Europe, Africa Western United States and southwestern Canada
Conservation Vulnerable Least Concern

Spanish Fly Beetle

A huge wingless blister beetle with a massively swollen red and black banded abdomen. The largest European meloid.

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Did You Know?

One of the largest beetle species in Europe with a body so heavy it resembles a fat caterpillar more than a beetle.

Western Harvester Ant

A large red ant that constructs conspicuous gravel-topped mound nests in western grasslands. It clears all vegetation from a wide circle around its nest entrance.

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Did You Know?

Its sting is one of the most painful among North American ants and has been rated highly on the Schmidt pain index.