Common Cone-head vs Spine-waisted Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Common Cone-head Spine-waisted Ant
Scientific Name Conocephalus fuscus Aphaenogaster tennesseensis
Order Orthoptera Hymenoptera
Family Tettigoniidae Formicidae
Size 12-18mm 4-5 mm
Habitat Wetlands Woodlands
Diet Seed Feeders Seed Feeders
Regions Europe, Asia Eastern North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Common Cone-head

A small slender katydid with a pointed head and brown body. It lives low in tall grasses near wetlands. Its song is a faint high-pitched buzz often inaudible to older adults.

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Did You Know?

Its ultrasonic song is so high-pitched that most adults over 40 cannot hear it at all.

Spine-waisted Ant

A slender reddish-brown ant common in eastern North American deciduous forests. It is an important seed disperser, carrying seeds with nutritious elaiosomes back to its nest.

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Did You Know?

They are responsible for dispersing seeds of many spring wildflowers including trilliums, violets, and bloodroot.