Sloe Bug vs Water Boatman
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Sloe Bug | Water Boatman |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dolycoris baccarum | Corixa punctata |
| Order | Hemiptera | Hemiptera |
| Family | Pentatomidae | Corixidae |
| Size | 10-12 mm | 6-10 mm |
| Habitat | Heathland | Ponds & Lakes |
| Diet | Seed Feeders | Herbivores |
| Regions | Europe, Asia | Europe |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Sloe Bug
A medium-sized, purplish-brown shield bug with distinctive black and white banded antennae and a hairy body. It is common across Europe and feeds on a wide range of plants including sloe, hawthorn, and raspberry. The body has a dense covering of fine hairs.
Did You Know?
It is one of the hairiest shield bugs in Europe, covered in a dense fur of fine hairs that gives it a distinctly fuzzy appearance under magnification.
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.
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.