Buck Moth vs Cone-Head Katydid

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Buck Moth Cone-Head Katydid
Scientific Name Hemileuca maia Copiphora rhinoceros
Order Lepidoptera Orthoptera
Family Saturniidae Tettigoniidae
Size 50-75 mm wingspan 40-60 mm
Habitat Heathland Forests
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Eastern North America Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Buck Moth

A day-flying black and white moth with a red-tipped abdomen that appears in autumn. Its spiny caterpillar delivers a painful venomous sting that causes welts and swelling.

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Did You Know?

In New Orleans, falling caterpillars are a seasonal hazard, prompting public health warnings each spring.

Cone-Head Katydid

A Neotropical katydid with a long horn-like projection from its head. It is an omnivorous species active at night in tropical lowland forests.

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Did You Know?

Its horn is a hardened extension of its fastigium and may be used in combat between rival males.