Common Water Strider vs Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Common Water Strider Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
Scientific Name Aquarius remigis Halyomorpha halys
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Gerridae Pentatomidae
Size 11-16 mm 12-17 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Farmland
Diet Omnivores Fruit Feeders
Regions Throughout North America Asia, North America, Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Common Water Strider

A slender dark brown insect that skates across the surface of streams and ponds using water surface tension. Its long middle and hind legs distribute its weight over the water film.

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Did You Know?

Tiny hydrophobic hairs on its legs trap air and repel water, allowing it to stand on the surface without breaking through.

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

A shield-shaped brown bug with marbled patterning and distinctive white-banded antennae. Native to East Asia, it has become a devastating invasive agricultural pest on multiple continents.

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Did You Know?

This stink bug releases a pungent chemical from thoracic glands when disturbed, and a single house can harbor over 25,000 overwintering adults in its wall voids.