North American Water Scorpion vs Periodical Cicada
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | North American Water Scorpion | Periodical Cicada |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ranatra fusca | Magicicada septendecim |
| Order | Hemiptera | Hemiptera |
| Family | Nepidae | Cicadidae |
| Size | 28-40 mm including siphon | 25-33 mm |
| Habitat | Wetlands | Woodlands |
| Diet | Herbivores | Root Feeders |
| Regions | North America | North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
North American Water Scorpion
A stick-like aquatic predator found in ponds and marshes across eastern North America. It walks slowly on submerged vegetation to ambush prey.
Did You Know?
Despite being fully winged, it rarely flies and prefers to walk along the bottom of shallow ponds.
Periodical Cicada
Emerges in massive synchronized broods every 17 years. Nymphs live underground feeding on tree root sap. Males produce the loudest sounds of any insect at up to 100 dB.
Did You Know?
Periodical cicadas spend exactly 17 years underground (a prime number), and scientists believe this evolved to prevent predators from synchronizing their own cycles.