Swamp Cicada vs Rhododendron Lace Bug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Swamp Cicada Rhododendron Lace Bug
Scientific Name Neotibicen tibicen Stephanitis rhododendri
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Cicadidae Tingidae
Size 30-38 mm 3-4 mm
Habitat Wetlands Underground
Diet Sap Feeders Herbivores
Regions Eastern and central United States North America, Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Swamp Cicada

A large dark cicada with green markings and a loud droning call heard in late summer. It is often called the morning cicada because it frequently calls during morning hours.

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Did You Know?

Unlike most cicadas that call in afternoon heat, it often sings during cooler morning and evening hours.

Rhododendron Lace Bug

A tiny lace bug with transparent, reticulate wings that infests rhododendron leaves. Native to North America, it causes silvery stippling on upper leaf surfaces and dark excrement spots beneath. Severe infestations reduce plant vigor.

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Did You Know?

Adults and nymphs always feed on the undersides of leaves, creating a distinctive pattern of dark tar-like fecal spots that serves as a key diagnostic sign of infestation.