Homoptera vs. Hemiptera — What's the Difference?

Homoptera is a suborder of order Hemiptera that is considered by some taxonomists to be paraphyletic, and therefore deprecated (obsolete). It was therefore split into the suborders Sternorrhyncha, Auchenorrhyncha, and Coleorrhyncha.

Hemiptera (Latin hemipterus (“half-winged”)) or true bugs are an order of insects comprising over 80,000 species within groups such as the cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, bed bugs and shield bugs. They range in size from 1 mm (0.04 in) to around 15 cm (6 in), and share a common arrangement of sucking mouthparts.

A suborder of Hemiptera, in which both pairs of wings are similar in texture, and do not overlap when folded, as in the cicada. See Hemiptera.

An order of hexapod insects having a jointed proboscis, including four sharp stylets (mandibles and maxillæ), for piercing. In many of the species (Heteroptera) the front wings are partially coriaceous, and different from the others.

Plant lice (aphids); whiteflies; cicadas; leafhoppers; plant hoppers; scale insects and mealybugs; spittle insects

Plant bugs; bedbugs; some true bugs; also includes suborders Heteroptera (true bugs) and Homoptera (e.g., aphids, plant lice and cicadas)