African Cicada vs Peanut-Head Bug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute African Cicada Peanut-Head Bug
Scientific Name Platypleura hirtipennis Fulgora laternaria
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Cicadidae Fulgoridae
Size 35-50 mm body length 80-100 mm with head projection
Habitat Grasslands Forests
Diet Sap Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia) Central America, South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

African Cicada

A large cicada with brownish wings and a stout body. Males produce a deafening chorus using specialized tymbal organs on the abdomen during the hot hours of the day.

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Did You Know?

The sound of a cicada chorus can reach over 100 decibels, making them among the loudest insects in the world.

Peanut-Head Bug

A large planthopper with a bizarre inflated head capsule resembling a peanut or an alligator. When threatened, it flashes large eyespots on its hindwings.

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Did You Know?

Local folklore claims its bite is fatal and must be cured by romantic relations within 24 hours, though it is actually harmless.