Red Cotton Bug vs Sandstone Squeaker Cicada

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Red Cotton Bug Sandstone Squeaker Cicada
Scientific Name Dysdercus koenigii Pauropsalta annulata
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Pyrrhocoridae Cicadidae
Size 12-18 mm 15-20 mm
Habitat Farmland Deserts & Drylands
Diet Fungus Feeders Herbivores
Regions South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka) Australia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Red Cotton Bug

A bright red and black true bug that stains cotton lint by piercing developing cotton bolls. Adults and nymphs aggregate in large numbers on cotton plants, and their feeding introduces fungi that further damage the crop.

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Did You Know?

The red staining caused by this bug's feeding on cotton bolls reduces the market value of the cotton fiber by creating permanent yellow spots.

Sandstone Squeaker Cicada

A small Australian cicada that produces a high-pitched squeaking call. It is commonly found on sandstone rock faces and nearby vegetation.

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Did You Know?

Its tiny size and quiet call make it one of the most easily overlooked cicadas in Australia.