Pink Bollworm vs Pennsylvania Ambush Bug
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Pink Bollworm | Pennsylvania Ambush Bug |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pectinophora gossypiella | Phymata pennsylvanica |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Hemiptera |
| Family | Gelechiidae | Reduviidae |
| Size | 15-20 mm wingspan | 8-12 mm |
| Habitat | Farmland | Farmland |
| Diet | Seed Feeders | Predators |
| Regions | Asia, Africa, Americas, Oceania | Eastern North America from Canada to the Gulf states |
| Conservation | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
Pink Bollworm
A small dark moth whose pink-tinged larvae bore into cotton bolls and damage the fibers and seeds. It has been one of the most economically important cotton pests globally.
Did You Know?
A massive sterile insect technique program successfully eradicated it from the southwestern United States by 2018.
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.