Mahoenui Giant Weta vs Ant Cricket
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Mahoenui Giant Weta | Ant Cricket |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Deinacrida mahoenui | Myrmecophilus acervorum |
| Order | Orthoptera | Orthoptera |
| Family | Anostostomatidae | Gryllidae |
| Size | Body 50-70 mm | 2-3 mm |
| Habitat | Forests | Woodlands |
| Diet | Herbivores | Parasites |
| Regions | New Zealand | Europe, Western Asia |
| Conservation | Endangered | Least Concern |
Mahoenui Giant Weta
A critically threatened giant weta originally surviving in a single patch of introduced gorse scrub. It is brown with lighter banding and is largely arboreal.
Did You Know?
Ironically, the invasive gorse bush has protected this weta from predators by providing spiny refuge.
Ant Cricket
A minute, wingless cricket that lives inside ant nests as a social parasite. It is oval-shaped and moves quickly among its host ants.
Did You Know?
It acquires its host ants' cuticular hydrocarbons to smell like them, allowing it to live undetected inside their colony.