Ant-Mimicking Treehopper vs Rosy Apple Aphid

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Ant-Mimicking Treehopper Rosy Apple Aphid
Scientific Name Cyphonia clavata Dysaphis plantaginea
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Membracidae Aphididae
Size 6-9 mm 2-3 mm
Habitat Forests Orchards
Diet Predators Fruit Feeders
Regions Central America, South America Europe, North America, Western Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Ant-Mimicking Treehopper

A treehopper with a pronotal projection shaped like an ant sitting on its back. The ant mimic is thought to deter predators from attacking.

💡

Did You Know?

The "ant" on its back is actually a hollow extension of its pronotum viewed from certain angles.

Rosy Apple Aphid

A purplish-gray aphid covered in a dusky waxy bloom that causes severe leaf curling and fruit deformation on apple trees. It is considered the most damaging aphid pest of apples.

💡

Did You Know?

Even small colonies in spring can cause 'aphid apples' - stunted, misshapen fruit with a characteristic bumpy surface that makes them unmarketable.