Tessaratomid Giant Shield Bug vs Tomato Potato Psyllid

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Tessaratomid Giant Shield Bug Tomato Potato Psyllid
Scientific Name Tessaratoma papillosa Bactericera cockerelli
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Tessaratomidae Triozidae
Size 25-30 mm 2.5-3 mm
Habitat Orchards Farmland
Diet Sap Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions South and Southeast Asia, China Western North America, Central America, New Zealand
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Tessaratomid Giant Shield Bug

A very large, robust shield bug that is a serious pest of lychee and longan trees in Asia. Adults are yellowish-brown and can spray a caustic defensive fluid. It is one of the largest true bugs in the Hemiptera order.

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Did You Know?

It can spray a caustic chemical from its thoracic glands that causes intense burning pain and temporary blindness if it contacts the eyes of a predator or person.

Tomato Potato Psyllid

A small striped psyllid that transmits the zebra chip disease bacterium to potato crops. It also causes psyllid yellows on tomatoes through toxic saliva injection.

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Did You Know?

Zebra chip disease, which it transmits, causes dark striped patterns inside fried potato chips, rendering them unsaleable.