Well, it will seem cool in hind sight when the temperature reaches the forecasted high of 101 on Wednesday eh? Just saying. Although as we were out working in the field after lunch today it quickly seemed hot. 😉
Welcome to the Curry Zoo I say. LOL I found it on the invasive non-native Musk Thistle. As you probably already know, that a butterfly larvae does not make its chrysalis on its host plant. Also because this is a chrysalis that means it will be a butterfly. Now fingers crossed that it will reveal itself soon.
On the walk to the mail box, I started checking out the Texas Thistle (Cirsium texanum). First find, a Differential Grasshopper nymph.
As it heats up the resin on the phyllaries starts to form and get sticky. Insects will get stuck in this resin.
Indeed, I didn’t need to check many before I found one. It is the White Border Hopper (Cuerna costalis). It is also called Lateral-lined Sharpshooter. They are in the Typical Leafhoppers (Cicadellidae) family and the subfamily of Sharpshooters (Cicadellinae). Indeed, here was my chance to get a close look!
What an intricate pattern!
Front shot!
Now it was time to look really close! Several of its feet were stuck good.
I had been reading about the differences between planthoppers and leafhoppers. And one of the difference is the spikes on the legs. The leafhoppers have many spikes that run all down the tibia in a double row. Planthoppers have only a few spikes.
In addition to the compound eyes, they have two ocelli which the arrow is pointing to one of them. These are located on the crown verses usually directly in front of compound eyes on planthoppers.
Here is another of the defining features of the leafhoppers, the antennae location. The leafhoppers’ antennae are in front of the compound eye. Whereas the planthoppers it is below the compound eye. It took multiple positioning to finally see that feature. Now I challenge you to see all of these characteristics in the field. LOL
Now that I have seen the leafhopper characteristics, I should check out the planthoppers sometime. Maybe I will find one stuck in the resin of a thistle. 😉
It’s all in those tiny details – leafhopper or plant hopper. Now all one needs to do is remember which detail applies to which!
Love the big tree and little snail articles
Isnt nature wonderful? Such beauty. A tiny insect with such delicate markings is awesome. And no prettier than the grasshopper.
They are all beautiful!
I never realized how much leafhoppers look like cicadas. Thanks for giving us a closer look!
Interesting how nature has repeated patterns in totally different species.
They are all in the same suborder, Auchenorrhyncha! So they do share a lot of structural features.
Thanks Claire 😊
It’s all in those tiny details – leafhopper or plant hopper. Now all one needs to do is remember which detail applies to which!
Love the big tree and little snail articles
Ha ha that is always my problem…remembering😊