Alder Spittlebug vs Lesser Smoothcap

Aphrophora alni compared with Atrichum angustatum

Key Differences

• Alder Spittlebug is Least Concern while Lesser Smoothcap is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Alder Spittlebug	Lesser Smoothcap
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Bryophyta
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Polytrichopsida (Polytrichopsida)
Order	Hemiptera (Hemiptera)	Polytrichales (Polytrichales)
Family	Aphrophoridae	Polytrichaceae
Genus	Aphrophora	Atrichum
Species	Aphrophora alni	Atrichum angustatum

Conservation Status

Alder Spittlebug

LC — Least Concern

Lesser Smoothcap

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Alder Spittlebug	Lesser Smoothcap
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Alder Spittlebug

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States).

Lesser Smoothcap

Habitat

Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Alder Spittlebug

The Alder Spittlebug (Aphrophora alni) is a species in the genus Aphrophora. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States