Eastern Toe-biter vs Tomato Potato Psyllid
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Eastern Toe-biter | Tomato Potato Psyllid |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Benacus griseus | Bactericera cockerelli |
| Order | Hemiptera | Hemiptera |
| Family | Belostomatidae | Triozidae |
| Size | 25-35 mm | 2.5-3 mm |
| Habitat | Ponds & Lakes | Farmland |
| Diet | Omnivores | Sap Feeders |
| Regions | Eastern North America | Western North America, Central America, New Zealand |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Not Evaluated |
Eastern Toe-biter
A very large, flattened brown water bug found in eastern North America. Males carry eggs on their backs until they hatch, providing protection and aeration. It can deliver an extremely painful bite if handled.
Did You Know?
Males are dedicated fathers, carrying up to 100 eggs cemented to their backs for several weeks, regularly doing 'push-ups' at the water surface to aerate the developing embryos.
Tomato Potato Psyllid
A small striped psyllid that transmits the zebra chip disease bacterium to potato crops. It also causes psyllid yellows on tomatoes through toxic saliva injection.
Did You Know?
Zebra chip disease, which it transmits, causes dark striped patterns inside fried potato chips, rendering them unsaleable.