Mormon Cricket vs Pine White
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Mormon Cricket | Pine White |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anabrus simplex | Neophasia menapia |
| Order | Orthoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Tettigoniidae | Pieridae |
| Size | 30-50 mm | 42-52 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Mountains | Mountains |
| Diet | Carrion Feeders | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | North America | Western North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Mormon Cricket
A large, flightless shield-backed katydid native to western North America. Despite its name it is not a true cricket but rather a katydid.
Did You Know?
In 1848 a massive Mormon cricket outbreak threatened settler crops in Utah until flocks of California gulls arrived and devoured them, an event celebrated as the Miracle of the Gulls.
Pine White
Delicate white butterfly with black forewing veins. Uniquely among pierids, larvae feed on conifer needles rather than broadleaf plants.
Did You Know?
Periodic population explosions can defoliate large stands of ponderosa pine forest.