Cave Cixiid vs Chinch Bug
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Cave Cixiid | Chinch Bug |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Oliarus polyphemus | Blissus leucopterus |
| Order | Hemiptera | Hemiptera |
| Family | Cixiidae | Blissidae |
| Size | 4-6 mm | 3-4 mm |
| Habitat | Caves | Gardens |
| Diet | Sap Feeders | Sap Feeders |
| Regions | Hawaii, Big Island | North America |
| Conservation | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
Cave Cixiid
A remarkable cave-adapted planthopper from Hawaiian lava tubes that has lost its eyes and wings. Its body is pale and depigmented, adapted to complete darkness.
Did You Know?
This eyeless cave-dwelling planthopper was one of the first species used to study speciation in cave systems, with different populations in separate lava tubes diverging into distinct species.
Chinch Bug
A tiny black and white bug that is one of the most destructive pests of cereal crops and lawn grasses in North America. Adults have distinctive white wings folded flat over the back. Large populations can kill entire swathes of turf grass.
Did You Know?
In the late 1800s, massive outbreaks destroyed so much wheat in the Great Plains that farmers built tar-filled trenches across fields to trap migrating chinch bug armies.