Ant Cricket vs Hemiandrus Ground Weta
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Ant Cricket | Hemiandrus Ground Weta |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Myrmecophilus acervorum | Hemiandrus maculifrons |
| Order | Orthoptera | Orthoptera |
| Family | Gryllidae | Anostostomatidae |
| Size | 2-3 mm | 15-25 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Underground |
| Diet | Parasites | Herbivores |
| Regions | Europe, Western Asia | New Zealand |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Ant Cricket
A minute, wingless cricket that lives inside ant nests as a social parasite. It is oval-shaped and moves quickly among its host ants.
Did You Know?
It acquires its host ants' cuticular hydrocarbons to smell like them, allowing it to live undetected inside their colony.
Hemiandrus Ground Weta
A New Zealand ground weta that is one of the very few orthopterans showing maternal care. Females guard their eggs and newly hatched nymphs in underground burrows.
Did You Know?
Females remain sealed in their burrow with their eggs for months without feeding, one of the rarest parental behaviors in crickets.