White-Backed Planthopper vs Japanese Giant Water Bug
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | White-Backed Planthopper | Japanese Giant Water Bug |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Sogatella furcifera | Lethocerus deyrolli |
| Order | Hemiptera | Hemiptera |
| Family | Delphacidae | Belostomatidae |
| Size | 3-4 mm | 48-65 mm |
| Habitat | Farmland | Ponds & Lakes |
| Diet | Sap Feeders | Predators |
| Regions | Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands | East Asia, Japan |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
White-Backed Planthopper
A small delphacid planthopper with a distinctive white dorsal stripe on an otherwise brown body. It is a major rice pest that migrates long distances on monsoon winds.
Did You Know?
It can travel over 1,000 km in a single migratory flight by riding monsoon winds, colonizing new rice crops far from its origin.
Japanese Giant Water Bug
Known as 'ta-garame' in Japanese, this is one of Japan's largest aquatic insects. A fearsome ambush predator that can catch small fish and frogs. Has declined dramatically due to habitat loss.
Did You Know?
Males of this species guard the eggs, which the female glues to emergent vegetation above water, by periodically climbing up to moisten them.