Arctic Seed Bug vs Pink Wax Scale Whitefly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Arctic Seed Bug | Pink Wax Scale Whitefly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nysius groenlandicus | Aleurocanthus woglumi |
| Order | Hemiptera | Hemiptera |
| Family | Lygaeidae | Aleyrodidae |
| Size | 3-5 mm | 1-1.5 mm |
| Habitat | Tundra & Arctic | Orchards |
| Diet | Seed Feeders | Herbivores |
| Regions | Greenland, Arctic Canada, Iceland, Svalbard | Asia (native), Americas, Africa (invasive) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Arctic Seed Bug
A small, elongate grayish-brown seed bug with a narrow body and prominent eyes. It feeds on seeds and plant sap in Arctic tundra. Adults can tolerate freezing temperatures and are active throughout the short summer.
Did You Know?
This is one of the very few true bugs found in Greenland, where it survives on seeds of the limited Arctic flora.
Pink Wax Scale Whitefly
Known as the citrus blackfly, this whitefly has dark sooty-colored pupae that distinguish it from other whitefly species. Heavy infestations coat leaves in thick black sooty mold.
Did You Know?
It was successfully controlled in many countries using the parasitoid wasp Amitus hesperidum, one of the classic triumphs of biological pest control.