Putnam's Cicada vs Oak Slug Sawfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Putnam's Cicada Oak Slug Sawfly
Scientific Name Platypedia putnami Caliroa quercuscoccineae
Order Hemiptera Hymenoptera
Family Cicadidae Tenthredinidae
Size 18-25 mm 4-5 mm (adult)
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Sap Feeders Herbivores
Regions North America North America
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Putnam's Cicada

A small, dark cicada found in arid pinyon-juniper woodlands of the western US. It produces quiet clicks rather than the loud buzzing of typical cicadas.

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Did You Know?

Instead of singing, males attract females by tapping their wings together to produce soft clicking sounds.

Oak Slug Sawfly

A slug-like sawfly larva that skeletonizes oak leaves in North America. Severe infestations cause browning of the canopy by midsummer.

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Did You Know?

The slimy larval coating deters most predators except for a few specialized parasitoid wasps.