Arctic Aphid vs Peanut-Head Bug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Arctic Aphid Peanut-Head Bug
Scientific Name Acyrthosiphon svalbardicum Fulgora laternaria
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Aphididae Fulgoridae
Size 1-3 mm 80-100 mm with head projection
Habitat Tundra & Arctic Forests
Diet Herbivores Sap Feeders
Regions Svalbard, Arctic Scandinavia, Greenland Central America, South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Arctic Aphid

A small, pale green aphid that is one of the most northerly herbivorous insects on Earth. It feeds on the sap of Dryas octopetala and other Arctic plants. Populations are entirely parthenogenetic in the High Arctic.

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Did You Know?

This aphid reproduces entirely without mating in the Arctic, producing live young that are clones of the mother.

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.