Australian Harlequin Bug vs Cooley Spruce Gall Adelgid

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Australian Harlequin Bug Cooley Spruce Gall Adelgid
Scientific Name Dindymus versicolor Adelges cooleyi
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Pyrrhocoridae Adelgidae
Size 10-14 mm 0.5-1 mm
Habitat Underground Forests
Diet Predators Gall Makers
Regions Australia, Oceania North America, Europe
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Australian Harlequin Bug

A small but conspicuous red and black bug that often aggregates in large numbers on tree trunks, fences, and walls during autumn. Its bright colouration warns predators of its foul-tasting defensive secretions.

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Did You Know?

Harlequin bugs produce a pungent smell when disturbed, and large aggregations can number in the thousands.

Cooley Spruce Gall Adelgid

A gall-forming adelgid that alternates between spruce and Douglas-fir. Cone-shaped galls on spruce tips are its most recognizable sign.

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Did You Know?

The pineapple-shaped galls it forms on spruce tips are often mistaken for small cones.