Six-spotted Thrips vs North American Backswimmer

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Six-spotted Thrips North American Backswimmer
Scientific Name Scolothrips sexmaculatus Notonecta undulata
Order Thysanoptera Hemiptera
Family Thripidae Notonectidae
Size 0.8-1.0 mm 10-14 mm
Habitat Farmland Ponds & Lakes
Diet Predators Predators
Regions North America, Europe North America
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Six-spotted Thrips

A tiny predatory thrips with three dark spots on each forewing. It is a valuable natural enemy of spider mites in agriculture.

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Did You Know?

A single six-spotted thrips can destroy over 100 spider mite eggs per day.

North American Backswimmer

A common backswimmer across North America that hunts by floating upside down at the surface. Its large eyes help it spot prey from below.

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Did You Know?

It is an important natural predator of mosquito larvae and can significantly reduce mosquito populations in small ponds.