Pennsylvania Ambush Bug vs Backswimmer
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Pennsylvania Ambush Bug | Backswimmer |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phymata pennsylvanica | Notonecta glauca |
| Order | Hemiptera | Hemiptera |
| Family | Reduviidae | Notonectidae |
| Size | 8-12 mm | 14-16 mm |
| Habitat | Farmland | Ponds & Lakes |
| Diet | Predators | Predators |
| Regions | Eastern North America from Canada to the Gulf states | Europe, Asia |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Pennsylvania Ambush Bug
A small chunky yellow and brown bug with thickened raptorial forelegs that hides in flower heads to ambush pollinators. It can capture prey many times its own size.
Did You Know?
It can capture and kill bumble bees and butterflies that are more than ten times its own weight.
Backswimmer
An aquatic bug that swims upside down just beneath the water surface, using its long hind legs as oars. Its back is keeled like a boat hull and pale-colored for camouflage when viewed from below.
Did You Know?
Backswimmers swim inverted with their pale backs facing downward, providing counter-shading camouflage against the bright sky when predators look up from below.