Japanese Earwig vs Arctic Aphid
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Japanese Earwig | Arctic Aphid |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anechura harmandi | Acyrthosiphon svalbardicum |
| Order | Dermaptera | Hemiptera |
| Family | Forficulidae | Aphididae |
| Size | 12-18 mm | 1-3 mm |
| Habitat | Mountains | Tundra & Arctic |
| Diet | Herbivores | Herbivores |
| Regions | Asia | Svalbard, Arctic Scandinavia, Greenland |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Japanese Earwig
A montane earwig found in the mountains of Japan, known for extreme maternal care. Females guard eggs and first-instar nymphs in burrows under stones.
Did You Know?
Japanese earwig mothers sacrifice their own bodies as food for their young — the nymphs consume the mother after she dies.
Arctic Aphid
A small, pale green aphid that is one of the most northerly herbivorous insects on Earth. It feeds on the sap of Dryas octopetala and other Arctic plants. Populations are entirely parthenogenetic in the High Arctic.
Did You Know?
This aphid reproduces entirely without mating in the Arctic, producing live young that are clones of the mother.