Whitefly vs Sloe Bug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Whitefly Sloe Bug
Scientific Name Bemisia tabaci Dolycoris baccarum
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Aleyrodidae Pentatomidae
Size 1-1.5 mm 10-12 mm
Habitat Farmland Heathland
Diet Sap Feeders Seed Feeders
Regions Cosmopolitan in warm regions Europe, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Whitefly

A tiny sap-sucking insect that transmits over 100 plant viruses worldwide. It is one of the most destructive agricultural pests in tropical and subtropical regions.

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Did You Know?

It is actually a complex of over 40 cryptic species that are morphologically nearly identical.

Sloe Bug

A medium-sized, purplish-brown shield bug with distinctive black and white banded antennae and a hairy body. It is common across Europe and feeds on a wide range of plants including sloe, hawthorn, and raspberry. The body has a dense covering of fine hairs.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the hairiest shield bugs in Europe, covered in a dense fur of fine hairs that gives it a distinctly fuzzy appearance under magnification.