African Blister Beetle vs Sugarcane Woolly Aphid
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | African Blister Beetle | Sugarcane Woolly Aphid |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Mylabris oculata | Ceratovacuna lanigera |
| Order | Coleoptera | Hemiptera |
| Family | Meloidae | Aphididae |
| Size | 15-30 mm | 1.5-2.5 mm |
| Habitat | Farmland | Farmland |
| Diet | Parasitoids | Herbivores |
| Regions | East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia) | South Asia (India, particularly Maharashtra and Karnataka; also Sri Lanka, Bangladesh) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
African Blister Beetle
A conspicuous beetle with orange-red and black banded elytra. It contains cantharidin, a potent toxin that can cause severe skin blistering on contact.
Did You Know?
Its cantharidin is so toxic that even a small amount can kill a horse if ingested with contaminated hay or alfalfa.
Sugarcane Woolly Aphid
A small aphid covered in white woolly wax secretions that forms dense colonies on the undersides of sugarcane leaves. Heavy infestations reduce cane juice quality and sugar recovery in mills.
Did You Know?
A major outbreak of this pest devastated the Indian sugarcane crop in 2002-2004 before biological control with parasitoid wasps brought it under control.