Green Tree Ant vs Empress Cicada

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Green Tree Ant Empress Cicada
Scientific Name Oecophylla smaragdina subnitida Pomponia imperatoria
Order Hymenoptera Hemiptera
Family Formicidae Cicadidae
Size 5-10 mm 70 mm body, 200 mm wingspan
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Nectar Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions Northern Australia Asia
Conservation Least Concern Data Deficient

Green Tree Ant

An Australian subspecies of the Asian weaver ant with distinctive bright green coloring. Indigenous Australians have traditionally eaten them and used their nests for medicinal purposes.

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Did You Know?

They taste like lime or lemongrass due to their high formic acid content and are eaten as bush food in northern Australia.

Empress Cicada

The largest cicada species in the world with a wingspan up to 200 mm. Found in the rainforests of Peninsular Malaysia. Its body length exceeds 70 mm.

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Did You Know?

With a wingspan of 20 cm, this is the worlds largest cicada — it is so heavy that it makes an audible buzzing thump when it crashes into tree trunks while flying.