North American Backswimmer vs Acanaloniid Planthopper

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute North American Backswimmer Acanaloniid Planthopper
Scientific Name Notonecta undulata Acanalonia conica
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Notonectidae Acanaloniidae
Size 10-14 mm 7-10 mm
Habitat Ponds & Lakes Underground
Diet Predators Herbivores
Regions North America Eastern North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

North American Backswimmer

A common backswimmer across North America that hunts by floating upside down at the surface. Its large eyes help it spot prey from below.

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Did You Know?

It is an important natural predator of mosquito larvae and can significantly reduce mosquito populations in small ponds.

Acanaloniid Planthopper

A small bright green planthopper with broad leaf-shaped wings that provide excellent camouflage among foliage. Its rounded, tent-like wing profile is distinctive among North American planthoppers.

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Did You Know?

Its bright green color so perfectly matches living leaves that it is nearly invisible when resting on foliage, often noticed only when it jumps away.