Lyric Cicada vs European Red Wood Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Lyric Cicada European Red Wood Ant
Scientific Name Neotibicen lyricen Formica rufa
Order Hemiptera Hymenoptera
Family Cicadidae Formicidae
Size 30-38 mm 4-9 mm
Habitat Woodlands Forests
Diet Sap Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions Eastern and Southeastern United States Europe, Western Asia
Conservation Least Concern Near Threatened

Lyric Cicada

A medium-large cicada with a lyre-shaped marking on the dorsal thorax that gives it its name. Its call is a continuous, high-pitched whine heard from mid-summer into early fall.

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Did You Know?

The name 'lyricen' refers to the lyre-shaped pattern on its mesonotum, visible when viewed from above.

European Red Wood Ant

A large mound-building ant found across European forests. Workers are reddish-brown with a darker abdomen and aggressively spray formic acid when threatened.

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Did You Know?

A single wood ant colony can consume millions of pest insects per season, making them vital forest protectors.