Cat Flea vs Rhododendron Lace Bug
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Cat Flea | Rhododendron Lace Bug |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ctenocephalides felis | Stephanitis rhododendri |
| Order | Siphonaptera | Hemiptera |
| Family | Pulicidae | Tingidae |
| Size | 1.5-3 mm | 3-4 mm |
| Habitat | Underground | Underground |
| Diet | Blood Feeders | Herbivores |
| Regions | Worldwide | North America, Europe |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Cat Flea
The most common flea on both cats and dogs worldwide. Can jump up to 150 times its body length. A single female can produce up to 2,000 eggs in her lifetime.
Did You Know?
Fleas can jump 150 times their body length — equivalent to a human leaping over a 75-story building. They achieve this using a pad of elastic protein called resilin.
Rhododendron Lace Bug
A tiny lace bug with transparent, reticulate wings that infests rhododendron leaves. Native to North America, it causes silvery stippling on upper leaf surfaces and dark excrement spots beneath. Severe infestations reduce plant vigor.
Did You Know?
Adults and nymphs always feed on the undersides of leaves, creating a distinctive pattern of dark tar-like fecal spots that serves as a key diagnostic sign of infestation.