Feather-Legged Assassin Bug vs Diamond-Backed Spittlebug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Feather-Legged Assassin Bug Diamond-Backed Spittlebug
Scientific Name Ptilocnemus lemur Lepyronia quadrangularis
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Reduviidae Aphrophoridae
Size 10-14 mm 6-9 mm
Habitat Heathland Meadows
Diet Omnivores Sap Feeders
Regions Australia North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Feather-Legged Assassin Bug

An Australian assassin bug with bizarre feathery hind legs used to lure ant prey. It waves its feathered legs near ant trails to attract victims.

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Did You Know?

It dangles its feathery hind legs like fishing lures to attract ants, which it then seizes and devours.

Diamond-Backed Spittlebug

A North American spittlebug with a distinctive diamond-shaped pale mark on its back. It is found in wet meadows and marshes.

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Did You Know?

Its preference for wetland habitats makes it one of the few spittlebugs commonly found in bogs and fens.