Water Boatman vs Bronze Orange Bug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Water Boatman Bronze Orange Bug
Scientific Name Corixa punctata Musgraveia sulciventris
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Corixidae Tessaratomidae
Size 6-10 mm 20-25 mm
Habitat Ponds & Lakes Orchards
Diet Herbivores Sap Feeders
Regions Europe Eastern Australia
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.

💡

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.

Bronze Orange Bug

A large, bronze-colored shield bug that is a pest of citrus trees in eastern Australia. Nymphs are bright green and change to bronze as they mature. It can squirt a foul-smelling, burning liquid at perceived threats.

💡

Did You Know?

Its defensive spray can cause skin burns and temporary blindness, and Australian gardeners are advised to wear eye protection when handling infested citrus trees.