Periodical Cicada vs Russian Wheat Aphid
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Periodical Cicada | Russian Wheat Aphid |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Magicicada septendecim | Diuraphis noxia |
| Order | Hemiptera | Hemiptera |
| Family | Cicadidae | Aphididae |
| Size | 25-33 mm | 1.5-2 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Farmland |
| Diet | Root Feeders | Sap Feeders |
| Regions | North America | Worldwide cereal-growing regions |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Not Evaluated |
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.
Russian Wheat Aphid
A pale elongated aphid that causes leaf rolling and white streaking on wheat and barley. It injects toxins while feeding that are uniquely damaging to cereal crops.
Did You Know?
It caused over $1 billion in damage to U.S. wheat crops within just a few years of its arrival in 1986.