White-Tipped Planthopper vs Clapping Cicada

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute White-Tipped Planthopper Clapping Cicada
Scientific Name Siphanta acuta Amphipsalta cingulata
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Flatidae Cicadidae
Size 7-10 mm 22-30 mm
Habitat Orchards Forests
Diet Sap Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions Australia, introduced to Hawaii, California, Mediterranean Oceania (New Zealand)
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

White-Tipped Planthopper

A bright green, wedge-shaped planthopper with white-tipped wings that mimics a small leaf. It is a common pest that has spread to many subtropical regions.

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Did You Know?

It holds its wings steeply tent-like over its body, creating a perfect leaf-shaped silhouette.

Clapping Cicada

An endemic New Zealand cicada named for the sharp clapping sound it produces, distinct from the continuous drone of the chorus cicada. It is found in scrubland and forest edges. Males produce a rapid series of clicks that accelerate into a continuous buzz.

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Did You Know?

The clapping cicada can produce clicks at a rate of over 300 per second, creating what sounds like a rapid drumroll.