Beet Leafhopper vs Gumtree Shield Bug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Beet Leafhopper Gumtree Shield Bug
Scientific Name Circulifer tenellus Poecilometis strigatus
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Cicadellidae Pentatomidae
Size 3-3.5 mm 15-22 mm
Habitat Farmland Underground
Diet Sap Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions Western North America, Mediterranean, Middle East Australia, Oceania
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Beet Leafhopper

A small pale green to tan leafhopper that transmits curly top virus to sugar beets, tomatoes, and beans. It breeds on desert weeds and migrates to cultivated crops.

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Did You Know?

Curly top virus transmitted by this leafhopper nearly destroyed the sugar beet industry in the western United States in the early 1900s.

Gumtree Shield Bug

A large shield bug commonly found on eucalyptus trees across Australia. It has a distinctive brown and cream patterned body with a broad, shield-shaped pronotum.

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Did You Know?

When disturbed, it releases a powerful stink from thoracic glands that can linger on human skin for hours.