Water Boatman vs Ant-attended Treehopper

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Water Boatman Ant-attended Treehopper
Scientific Name Corixa punctata Publilia concava
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Corixidae Membracidae
Size 6-10 mm 4-6 mm
Habitat Ponds & Lakes Grasslands
Diet Herbivores Predators
Regions Europe Eastern North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

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.

Ant-attended Treehopper

A small North American treehopper commonly tended by ants that harvest its honeydew secretions. In return, attending ants protect it from predators and parasitoids.

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Did You Know?

Studies show that ant-tended colonies have significantly higher survival rates than untended ones, proving the mutualism is real.