Cotton Harlequin Bug vs Russian Wheat Aphid
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Cotton Harlequin Bug | Russian Wheat Aphid |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Tectocoris diophthalmus | Diuraphis noxia |
| Order | Hemiptera | Hemiptera |
| Family | Scutelleridae | Aphididae |
| Size | 15-20 mm | 1.5-2 mm |
| Habitat | Beaches & Coastal | Farmland |
| Diet | Sap Feeders | Sap Feeders |
| Regions | Australia, Oceania | Worldwide cereal-growing regions |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Not Evaluated |
Cotton Harlequin Bug
One of Australia's most colourful insects, with a brilliant metallic orange and iridescent blue-black shield-shaped body. The colour pattern varies between individuals, with females being larger and more brightly marked.
Did You Know?
Females guard their eggs and young nymphs, standing over them protectively in a rare display of maternal care for a bug.
Russian Wheat Aphid
A pale elongated aphid that causes leaf rolling and white streaking on wheat and barley. It injects toxins while feeding that are uniquely damaging to cereal crops.
Did You Know?
It caused over $1 billion in damage to U.S. wheat crops within just a few years of its arrival in 1986.