Rhododendron Leafhopper vs Pallid Kissing Bug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Rhododendron Leafhopper Pallid Kissing Bug
Scientific Name Graphocephala fennahi Triatoma pallidipennis
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Cicadellidae Reduviidae
Size 8-9 mm 24-30 mm
Habitat Underground Indoors
Diet Fungus Feeders Blood Feeders
Regions North America, invasive in Europe Mexico
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Rhododendron Leafhopper

A brightly colored red and blue-green leafhopper that feeds on rhododendrons. It vectors a fungus that causes rhododendron bud blast disease.

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Did You Know?

Its vivid candy-stripe coloration makes it one of the most recognizable leafhoppers in gardens.

Pallid Kissing Bug

A Chagas disease vector found in central and southwestern Mexico. It readily colonizes human dwellings in rural areas.

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Did You Know?

It is the most frequently collected triatomine species inside homes in the state of Morelos, Mexico.