Red-banded Leafhopper (Graphocephala coccinea)
Another common name for this leafhopper is Candystriped Leafhopper.
There are over 3,000 species of leafhoppers in North America. All are small jumping insects with one or more rows of small spines on the hind tibiae. Both nymphs and adults feed on sap of above-ground stems or leaves of plants and can be everywhere vascular plants grow. Several species are serious agricultural pests because of the damage they do to commercial crops. Some species also transmit plant pathogens such as viruses, mycoplasma-like organisms, or other microorganisms.
Leafhoppers have special sound-producing organs (tymbals) at the base of their abdomen; most leafhopper songs are too faint to be heard by humans without special amplifying equipment.
10 comments:
Pest or not, it's pretty!
Now he is almost pretty! :-) Well, he's certainly colorful, that's without doubt. Ahhh but he too, is a pest.
Hmmm, makes you wonder... Why are pests, so brightly colored? I mean, I'd think they'd be colored to blend right in with "what they are eating." :-) But not this guy!
Mari-Nanci
Smilnsigh blog
lookin' good does not mean doin' good :(
great study, marvin....
Oh Marvin, another colorful critter from the garden. I have been sketching bugs lately. This one is for the books.
I read a story in NG (spring 2006) about treehopper language; one of the researchers said sadly, "I'm missing 98% of everything" because he recognized he just couldn't be there with his listening/recording apparatus at all times and all places in the So Amer jungle he was studying. Interesting to know these leafhoppers also sing.
Very neat looking bug.
Stunning.. one thing you have shown me... that insects are just as beautiful to look at as birds... since seeing your pictures you have certainly been responcible for my growing interest in the smaller creepy things around me... and I'm not talking about Jane here. ;o)
This guy looks like ART WORK. Just amazing the color combinations and patterns. It makes me wonder how many astoundingly beautiful sites we miss because we are SO caught up in technology and industry. Just from living in the rainforest I'd say that as a collective we miss a lot. These are stunning photos on your site. Such a good job.
I saw one of these just last weekend! His pics will make it to my blog in the next month or so... Great shot, by the way! Bug Guide is a great help, isn't it?
Oooh, wow...That is REALLY cool!
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