Congo Basin Katydid vs Small Tortoiseshell

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Congo Basin Katydid Small Tortoiseshell
Scientific Name Enyaliopsis petersi Aglais urticae
Order Orthoptera Lepidoptera
Family Tettigoniidae Nymphalidae
Size 50-70 mm Wingspan 45-55mm
Habitat Forests Woodlands
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Central Africa (DRC, Congo, Cameroon, Gabon) Europe, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Congo Basin Katydid

A large, armored katydid with a heavily spined pronotum and legs. It produces loud stridulating calls at night. Despite its fierce appearance, it is primarily herbivorous, feeding on forest leaves and flowers.

💡

Did You Know?

The spines covering its body deter predators and can inflict painful scratches on anything that attempts to swallow it.

Small Tortoiseshell

A familiar orange butterfly with black and yellow markings and a row of blue crescents along the wing margins. It hibernates in buildings over winter.

💡

Did You Know?

Adults hibernate in attics and sheds and can survive freezing temperatures by producing glycerol as natural antifreeze.