Italian Tree Cricket vs New Zealand Katipo Spider
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Italian Tree Cricket | New Zealand Katipo Spider |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Oecanthus pellucens | Latrodectus katipo |
| Order | Orthoptera | Araneae |
| Family | Gryllidae | Theridiidae |
| Size | 10-15mm | 6-10 mm body |
| Habitat | Orchards | Deserts & Drylands |
| Diet | Omnivores | Omnivores |
| Regions | Europe, Asia | Oceania (New Zealand) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Endangered |
Italian Tree Cricket
A delicate pale green cricket with translucent wings. Males sing a melodious continuous trill on warm evenings. The rate of chirping is directly related to temperature.
Did You Know?
You can estimate the temperature by counting its chirps: count chirps in 15 seconds and add 40 for degrees Fahrenheit.
New Zealand Katipo Spider
New Zealand's most venomous spider, found only on coastal sand dunes. Although an arachnid, it is one of New Zealand's most iconic invertebrates. The name katipo means night stinger in Maori. It is now critically rare due to habitat loss.
Did You Know?
Despite being closely related to the black widow and redback spiders, no human deaths from katipo bites have been recorded in New Zealand.