Bear Cicada vs Ant Damsel Bug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Bear Cicada Ant Damsel Bug
Scientific Name Cryptotympana facialis Himacerus mirmicoides
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Cicadidae Nabidae
Size 55-65 mm 7-8 mm
Habitat Woodlands Gardens
Diet Sap Feeders Predators
Regions Japan, East Asia Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Bear Cicada

A large black cicada common throughout Japan, known locally as 'kuma-zemi.' It is one of the dominant summer-singing species in Japanese cities.

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Did You Know?

Its Japanese name 'kuma-zemi' means 'bear cicada' due to its large dark body.

Ant Damsel Bug

A slender brown predatory bug whose nymphs remarkably mimic ants for protection from predators. Adults lose the ant-like appearance and become typical damsel bugs. It is a beneficial predator in European gardens and fields.

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Did You Know?

The young nymphs are such convincing ant mimics that they even walk with a jerky, ant-like gait, fooling both predators and entomologists at first glance.