Backswimmer vs Palo Verde Root Borer Cicada
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Backswimmer | Palo Verde Root Borer Cicada |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Notonecta glauca | Okanagana hesperia |
| Order | Hemiptera | Hemiptera |
| Family | Notonectidae | Cicadidae |
| Size | 14-16 mm | 20-28 mm |
| Habitat | Ponds & Lakes | Grasslands |
| Diet | Predators | Sap Feeders |
| Regions | Europe, Asia | North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Backswimmer
An aquatic bug that swims upside down just beneath the water surface, using its long hind legs as oars. Its back is keeled like a boat hull and pale-colored for camouflage when viewed from below.
Did You Know?
Backswimmers swim inverted with their pale backs facing downward, providing counter-shading camouflage against the bright sky when predators look up from below.
Palo Verde Root Borer Cicada
A medium-sized dark cicada found in sagebrush steppe and desert grasslands. Males call from low shrubs during the heat of summer afternoons.
Did You Know?
Its nymphs may spend up to five years underground feeding on root fluids before emerging as adults.