Greater Arid-Land Katydid vs Asian Velvet Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Greater Arid-Land Katydid Asian Velvet Ant
Scientific Name Neobarrettia spinosa Smicromyrme rufipes
Order Orthoptera Hymenoptera
Family Tettigoniidae Mutillidae
Size 50-65 mm 8-14 mm
Habitat Heathland Heathland
Diet Predators Parasitoids
Regions Southern United States, Northern Mexico South Asia, Southeast Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Greater Arid-Land Katydid

A large, aggressive predatory katydid from the American Southwest with powerful spiny legs. It is one of the most voracious katydid predators in North America.

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Did You Know?

It can bite hard enough to draw blood and will readily attack insects larger than itself.

Asian Velvet Ant

A small to medium velvet ant with reddish legs and black body found across southern Asia. It parasitizes various ground-nesting bees and wasps.

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Did You Know?

It produces a distinctive squeaking sound when handled by rubbing specialized structures on its abdomen together.