Scentless Plant Bug vs Water Boatman

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Scentless Plant Bug Water Boatman
Scientific Name Jadera haematoloma Corixa punctata
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Rhopalidae Corixidae
Size 10-14 mm 6-10 mm
Habitat Woodlands Ponds & Lakes
Diet Seed Feeders Herbivores
Regions Southern United States, Central America, South America Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Scentless Plant Bug

A red-eyed black and red bug that forms enormous aggregations on golden rain trees and other soapberry family plants. Despite its common name, it belongs to the scentless plant bug family. It is completely harmless to humans and structures.

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Did You Know?

Populations feeding on different host plants have evolved different beak lengths matched to seed size, providing a textbook example of rapid natural selection.

Water Boatman

A small, oval aquatic bug with oar-like hind legs fringed with swimming hairs. Unlike most aquatic bugs, water boatmen are primarily herbivores that scrape algae from underwater surfaces.

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Did You Know?

Male water boatmen produce the loudest sound relative to body size of any animal on Earth, singing at 99 decibels by rubbing a ridge on their genitalia against their abdomen.