Codling Moth vs Wheel Bug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Codling Moth Wheel Bug
Scientific Name Cydia pomonella Arilus cristatus
Order Lepidoptera Hemiptera
Family Tortricidae Reduviidae
Size 14-22 mm wingspan 28-36 mm
Habitat Orchards Orchards
Diet Fruit Feeders Omnivores
Regions Worldwide (cosmopolitan) North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Codling Moth

A small grey-brown moth whose larvae are the proverbial worm in the apple. It is the most economically important pest of apples worldwide.

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Did You Know?

It was one of the first insects to develop resistance to DDT in the 1940s.

Wheel Bug

The largest assassin bug in North America, named for the distinctive cogwheel-shaped crest on its thorax. It delivers an extremely painful bite if handled.

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Did You Know?

Its bite injects cytolytic venom that dissolves tissue, producing pain reported to be worse than a wasp sting lasting for days.