Lanternfly
(06/28/2006) okay smarty pants.. name this insect!
Here's another insect I found with no information...
any idea? BTW - i didn't kill these bugs, I'm jsut doing a project on them.. and need some information about them... even just the name of it'll will help.
-m-



Hi -m-,
We were intrigued by your cocky challenge. This is one of the Fulgorid Planthoppers sometimes known as Lanternflies. We suspect this is an exotic species from the tropics. Now, Smarty Pants, where is it from? We are also going to turn to Eric Eaton to substantiate our identification.

Leafhopper from Costa Rica: Bocydium species
(06/14/2006) Costa Rica leafhopper with a hood ornament
Hello Bugman,
It doesn't look like youv'e received this one before. It is very small, perhaps 4-5 mm, on the underside of a leaf in the rainforest understory along the Quebrada Gonzales trail at Braulio Carrillo National Park. The date was 9 April 2006. Maybe Eric Eaton will recognize it (I haven't sent it to him), but even if we can't find a name for it, I thought it would be a nice addition to your image database. Any idea what that hood ornament is for? Communication?
All the Best,
Rich Hoyer
Tucson, AZ



Hi Rich,
We don't know what this guy is, but it is amazing. Hopefully, someone will write in with an identification.

Update (06/19/2006) Costa Rican Hopper
Hi. I have been obsessed with the bizarre ornamentation of the leafhopper from Costa Rica, and through diligent internetting, I think I have finally found the genus. Bocydium has about 15 species, although most references are to the "Bell-bearer" of Brazil. All the pictures I could find of the genus were very similar in shape, and the pronotum is very distinctive. Check out this site, http://www.entomology.umn.edu/cues/4015/morpology/ you'll see what I mean.
Thanks Daniel and Lisa for helping destroy any productivity I may have had with your terrific site, keep up the good work!
Bev Donnelly
Winnipeg, MB

Hi Bev,
You are our new hero. We are bestowing the newly conceived Bugophile of the Month Award on you. We can empathize with your situation as we spend hours on the website that might be spent cleaning the house.

Magnolia Green Jumper and Scarlet and Green Leafhopper
(06/06/2006) Two bugs...
Hi there! A friend passed along your site and I've enjoyed the pictures and the descriptions. I have two bugs here that I'm dying to know what they are. Both were around 2-3cm in size. I appreciate any help. :-)
Neil Schulman



Hi Neil,
Your photo of a male Magnolia Green Jumper, Lyssomanes viridis, it awesome. There is some information on BugGuide as well. Your colorful insect according to the Audubon Guide is a Scarlet and Green Leafhopper, Graphocephala coccinea.

Aphids and Aphid Wasp
(05/29/2006) Aphids
Bugman, I found quite a few of these guys hangin out on my roses here in Southern California this morning. I think they are Aphids and are about to move on to the next level of their spiritual journey as soon as I can find the rose spray. I know that you are not into carnage on global scale but............... They are very interesting looking upclose and personal.
Rus



Hi Rus,
We have no problem killing Aphids, but we prefer to shoot them off the plants with a strong jet of water, or occasionally, spray them with soapy water. While your Aphid photo is wonderful, we are thrilled with the Aphid Wasp you have sent in. Aphid Wasps are in the family Aphidiidae. They are small parasitoid wasps that lay eggs in the abdomen of aphids. The larva then devours the Aphid's internal organs, leaving a dry hollow shell known as an Aphid Mummy. Looks like nature is taking care of your Aphid problem.

Treehoppers
(05/28/2006) Grotesque looking little spindly things attacking my Jalepeno Pepper plant-Please identify?
Are these black ugly things the larvae of this ugly critter? If so, is there anything I can do to kill them off besides waiting for my praying mantis' to hatch? Are they destructive to my vegetable garden? Any help you can provide, I would be so grateful. I truly would rather depend on natural predators if possible but if I need to use pesticides, I would be alright with that option as well.
Thanks in advance.
The Kerbys



Hi Kerbys,
You have a photo of one mature and a colony of immature Keel-Backed Treehoppers. Many species look very similar. They are fond of tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and other solanaceous plants. We handpick them from our plants or spray with soapy water.

Membracid Tree Hopper Nymph
(05/10/2006) Another mystery Bug?
HI,
Thanks for the help identifying the bark lice for us. I was tending to some elderberry bushes here in Fairhope Al., and noticed an unusual little guy that I have never seen before. Would you be able to assist us again? I have attached an image of the insect. Sorry for the low quality but it was small and it was somewhat camera shy! Thanks,
John and Melissa Pershina



Hi John and Melissa,
We believe this is an immature Plant Hopper. We will try to figure out the species for you. Eric Eaton provided this information: " The mystery hopper is a juvenile membracid (tree hopper, family Membracidae). I have no idea which one. The adults look radically different from the nymphs."

Aphid Wolf attacks Ant Cows
(05/01/2006) Aphid Standoff
Dear Bugpeople,
I believe that the red bugs are aphids, but what is the segmented “thing” they are facing? It’s about 3⁄4” long. This scene was captured In a St. Louis, MO garden.
Thanks for your help.
Henry



Hi Henry,
We will be posting your spectacular photo on several of our pages, including the Food Chain. Your photo shows the drama when a Green Lacewing Larva, known as an Aphid Wolf, attacks a group of Aphids, sometimes called Ant Cows. The term Ant Cow refers to a symbiotic relationship with ants who milk the Aphids for honeydew.

Biological Warfare: Syrphid Fly Larva and Ladybird versus the Aphids!!!
(04/23/2006) Larva Verification
I returned home last weekend to find my rose bush laden with aphids. A quick search of my garden located a lady bug which I then "transplanted" onto a stem of the rose bush. From the photo it can be identified as a 7 spotted lady bug. I found a dozen more lady bugs and carried them to the bush where each remained on top of its own rose stem. Since this was my first attempt to fight aphids with lady bugs rather than to zap them with an insecticide, I became more and more enthralled with watching the daily activities on my rose bush. Then I noticed "worms" appearing. From what I had read about lady bugs, the larvae were described as looking like alligators, but my larvae don't have that appearance. Is this because they are relatively young and in beginning stages of being "larvae" or am I looking at something entirely different. One of the photos shows a larva on a leaf. The other photo I took to show how the large was wrapped around the twig. Just as I snapped the photo, an aphid crawled past and the larva snatched it up and is shown eating it. To make a long message short, are the two larvae in the photos actually lady bug larvae? I love your web site!!!! Thank you for your help
Jean
Republic, Missouri

Syrphid Fly Larva	7 Spot Ladybird

Hi Jean,
No. Your larvae are not Ladybird Larvae. They are Syrphid Fly Larvae, and they are a wonderful biological control agent against Aphids, as are Ladybirds. Lacewings are also marvelous. If the Aphids ever become too numerous for the predators, a jet of water from the hose will knock them off the plant and without a food source, the wingless young will perish. Thanks for the great letter and the accompanying photos. We have photos of Ladybird Larvae on our Ladybug page.

Dear (Bugman), Yesterday I went you photos regarding the ladybird larvae which turned out to be syrphid fly larvae. Thank you so much for your response and your answer. I think your site is one of the most helpful I have ever seen.... so personal and interactive! I am a Master Gardener and webmaster for the University of Missouri Master Gardener's website for Southwest Missouri http://www.extension.missouri.edu/greene/mgg/. I would like your permission to add your site to our link page. Please let me know if this is feasible.
Jeanne Larsen
Republic, MO

Costa Rican Dictyopharid Planthopper
(04/09/2006) Patridge Scalop of some kind?
I recently returned from the Costa Rica and, as you can imagine, found quite a few interesting things to take pictures of. This one in particular I'm not finding much information on. The closest I can come up with is a Partidge Scalop of some kind. This was taken during a tour of an organic farm in the Osa Peninsula.
Thanks,
Todd



Hi Todd,
We tried looking up this creature using both spellings of your alleged common name, but neither search lead us anywhere. Spellings "partridge" and "scallop" were very broad and led us to many restaurants. Please provide us with the link you found. We believe this is some type of fly in the order Diptera, but your photo indicates the possibility of a second set of wings which would render our guess incorrect. We are asking Eric Eaton for an opinion. Eric quickly came to our rescue with this identification: " I see how anyone could be confounded by that critter! It is a dictyopharid planthopper (family Dictyopharidae if my spelling is correct). They occur in North America, too, but obviously the tropical ones are way more spectacular:-) Oh, the order is Hemiptera (Homoptera no longer exists as a stand-alone order). Eric"

Indonesian Hopper: Fulgoroidea
(04/08/2006) What's this Beauty?
Dear Buggy,
I live in Singapore, a tropical island in South East Asia. I found this tiny beauty on my garden table one day. It's so beautiful and wish to share with all of you but wonder what this is. Please help.
Joe



Hi Joe,
Though we don't have an exact species for you, we can tell you this is a species of Hopper in the order Homoptera.

Update: (01/11/2007)
bug images on WTB
Dear Bugman,
I enjoyed visiting your site. It really doesn't compete with BugGuide.net, since you have posted lots of foreign insects that they bar from that site. For example, you have some really nice photos of the primitive treehopper Aetalion (which is tropical). I thought you might like to know about the following:
(1) The "Indonesian hopper" is an immature planthopper, Fulgoroidea. The wax "tails" are quite distinctive for these bugs.
Thanks for helping to spread an interest in Homoptera. We need to encourage the amateur. I have been collecting photos of Homoptera for research and education purposes. I would request permission to use images on your Web site, with appropriate credit, for scientific papers and identification guides. So far I have more than 940 selected images. Please let me know the best way to contact your contributors to obtain their permission.
Andy Hamilton

Hi Andy,
We really appreciate all of the identifications you have provided for us. Sadly, we do not keep records of all the people who have written to our site and have no way of contacting them again.

Wax Scale
(04/04/2006) egg case?
not sure what this is, Noticed this today on a japanese maple in Memphis, Tennessee. Not even sure what to categorize it as. An egg case? It's about a 1/2 inch in diameter.
Thanks,
Tim
I found the site below which identified the object as the casing around wax scale. I actually found about a dozen, which ranged from 1/8 of an inch to a little over 1/4 inch.
http://www.walterreeves.com/qa_display.phtml?qaID=957



Hi Tim,
Thanks for getting us an answer before we had a chance to do the research.

Wooly Aphids
(03/28/2006) Fuzzy White Bugs
Hello. I love your site! l found this amazing collection of insects on a tree branch in Massachussetts, and was hoping you could help me out!
It was August, if that helps! Thanks!
Ryan Bradley
Animator



Hi Ryan,
Nice photo of Wooly Aphids.

Mystery Leafhopper from Australia
(03/28/2006) Mystery Australian beastie PLUS BONUS BUG MURDER
Hi Bugman.
Love your work, and I'm overjoyed to have discovered your site - identifying bugs online is almost impossible as I've not found a handy online key thingy, e.g. Does it have 6 legs? Y/N, Does it have wings Y/N (where each Y and N is a link to the next question page, all the way to the final answer). Anyway, the mystery bugs are attached. Found in the Royal National Park just south of Sydney, Australia. Cool looking chap ain't he? The special offer today is a few somewhat unfocused shots of a bee being impaled against a flyscreen by what looks like a big horsefly (taken at my home in Sydney). It has a huge proboscis that was pinning the poor honey bee down and appeared to be sucking the life out of it. The murderer flew off leaving the desiccated bee stuck to the screen. Many thanks in advance for your help,
Aidan
P.S. Will I get an email if you post your identification(s)?



Hi Aidan,
While researching your Mystery Treehopper, we stumbled upon an excellent site, but sadly, your specimen was not among the many pictured. The closest we could come is a Two Lined Gum Treehopper, Eurymeloides bicincta. Continued searching lead us to another site with Eurymeloides lineata and Eurymeloides pulchra which looks like a much better match. Your murderer is some species of Robber Fly.

Tree Hopper	Flower Wasp

Passionvine Hopper
(02/11/2006)ID help, nymph in NZ
Aloha,
I have had this image for several years, and have not been able to ID. Obviously a nymph, very small, photo is approx 1:1 mag. on 35mm slide. Several of these insects were found on a plant, along a stream, Whangarei, North Island, New Zealand. Any help would be appreciated.
Don Brown,
Hilo, Hawaii



Hi Don,
This is a Homopteran, Scolypopa australis, the Passionvine Hopper.

Keelbacked Treehopper
(02/05/2006) Help with identifying a bug???
Help! I've seen these before, a long time ago, but now they're suddenly ALL over my tomato and pepper seedlings... What are they, what evil are they doing to all my seedlings, and what's my best bet for getting rid of them? Thank you so much in advance!
Kim Dryden
San Diego Lock & Safe



Hi Kim,
This is a Keelbacked Treehopper, Antianthe expansa. They are found on eggplants and other solanaceous plants as well as peppers and tomatoes. They are sucking insects that will drain your plants of vital fluids. Infestations are especially injurious to young plants. They immature stage of the insect is black and spiny, and they form large colonies, sometimes accompanied by adults. We remove them manually from our garden and squash them mercilessly, though soapy water will probably help.

Brazilian Symbiosis!!!
(01/30/2006) Treehoppers nimphs and stingless Bees
Hello, Daniel
More Treehoppers nymphs (Aetalion) but mutualism with ....stingless Bees !!! Thank you
Danilo Rivas



Hi Again Danilo,
Sorry about the delay, but we found your letter when going through old mail. We don't know what to make about this odd symbiosis, but Homopterans often exude honeydew, and that must be attracting the bee.

Brasilian Leafhopper
(01/15/2006) Help to ID this cicadellidae
Pictures take in differents time.
Danilo Rivas
Brasil



Hi Danilo,
You already know this is in the Leafhopper Family Cicadellidae, and we really aren't going to be able to help after that since we don't own a guide to Brasilian insects. Your photos are quite amazing and since there is a relationship between the hoppers and the ant, we are guessing honeydew is secreted by the Leafhoppers.

I am a cuban Molecular Biologist working in Brasil.... I can not found yet any help in Brasil to ID my cicadellidae pictures that is the reason to contact you. I am waiting for the brazilian bug specialist opinion...but in this country the interest for the nature is really low.... Today I make more photos...of the baby group and you can see that some babies have some (black) colour lines longitudinal in the body (just the older babies...) The cicadellidae reproduction was in a Ceiba pentandra tree, a very comun tree in my country. Thank you for your interest.
Danilo



Update from Eric Eaton:
"the topmost images of the Brazilian leafhoppers are a species that is probably NOT in the Cicadellidae. There are several entire families of Heteroptera in the tropics that have no representatives in North America."

Update (01/16/2006)
Hello Daniel
May be the real ID is treehoppers...Fam: Aetalionidae, Gen: Aetalion. I found a work of Douglas W. Tallamy (photos of Preston Mafham)"Child care among the insects", and in that the pictures are really similar to my pictures, ant-mutualist, etc.... try to find the paper in the internet, and please, contact Eric Eaton in order to confirm that. Thank you
Danilo Rivas

More Unidentified Leafhoppers from Brasil
(01/15/2006) Help me to identify this one
I love your web page.
Thank You
Danilo Rivas
Brasil



Sadly, Danilo, we don't know what species these Leafhoppers are either. Thank you for sending in such fascinating exotica from Brasil.

Update: (01/11/2007)
bug images on WTB
Dear Bugman, I enjoyed visiting your site. It really doesn't compete with BugGuide.net, since you have posted lots of foreign insects that they bar from that site. For example, you have some really nice photos of the primitive treehopper Aetalion (which is tropical). I thought you might like to know about the following:
(3) The "unidentified leafhoppers" from Brazil are a sharpshooter (left) and a spittle bug (right). Sharpshooters are leafhoppers of the subfamily Cicadellinae that feed on very dilute sap, or mud puddles, and shoot out drops of excess water from their tail ends. Spittle bugs do not have the spiny hind legs of leafhoppers and sharpshooters.
Thanks for helping to spread an interest in Homoptera. We need to encourage the amateur.
Andy Hamilton

Oleander Aphid
(01/03/2006) whats this bug?
I found hundreds of these tiny bugs on my butterfly bush (milkweed) today. Are they bad or good bugs? Do I need to kill them? Love your website!
Carolyn
Lecanto, Florida



Hi Carolyn,
This is an Aphid and they can be destructive when plentiful. We recommend either just hosing them away or spraying them with mildly soapy water. Dish soap diluted will work fine.

Update from Eric Eaton (01/04/2006)
"The yellow aphid is an Oleander Aphid, believe it or not. They apparently find milkweed and oleander interchangable."

Passionvine Hopper
(12/28/2005) What's this one?
This is a bug I found in my lettuces, I live in New Zealand, any ideas? It was only about 3mm long and jumped like a flea if you touched it, but crawled along the leaf otherwise.
Louise



Hi Louise,
You have such exotica in New Zealand. We don't recognize this creature, but are guessing it is one of the leaf-hoppers in the order Homoptera.

Oo! I found it on the Landcare Research website. It's a Passionvine Hopper, here are the details so you can add it to your collection! I released it back into the garden, as it didn't seem to be doing any damage. Keep up the great work.
Louise

Hi again Louise. Thanks for providing the link to information on Scolypopa australis, the Passionvine Hopper.

Scarlet and Green Leafhoppers Mating
(12/20/2005) Red and Teal
Hi,
I've seen this red and blue colored moth-like insect onmy morning glory leaves in summer. It's head seems to be underneath the tribal mask looking wings. I live in Massachusetts. I've attached a picture of this interesting specimine. I would just like to know what it is. It took me 21 years of living in the same place to come upon it.
Thank you
Tom



Hi Tom,
What a beautiful image of Scarlet and Green Leafhoppers, Graphocephala coccinea, mating. They feed on the juices of weeds and cultivated plants. When they feed, they inject saliva into the plant which inhibits the sap from running, eventually resulting in wilting and leaf drop.

Keelbacked Treehopper
(12/19/2005) hey bugman!
...found this on my desk today after bringing some potted plants indoors. He was making a really loud, fussing clatter with his tiny wings (as you can see my fingernail dwarfes him) and but surprisingly he didn't care so much when i scooped him up with a business card. any idea? i've never seen anything like it.
pete
los angeles



Hi Pete,
This is one of the Keelbacked Treehoppers. They often infest our tomato plants.

Katydid Nymph and Aphids from Australia
(11/09/2005) Australian Katydid Nymph/ Share the love
Hi "What's That Bug",
I found your fascinating site when looking for information about katydids, and thought that in the interest of science and bug-lovers everywhere you might appreciate some contributions from Down Under. Attached is a very new, shiny katydid nymph. Also for your "bug lurve" section, please find attached a gratuitous aphid orgy.
Warm regards
Jennifer



Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for your contributions. We aren't entirely sure the aphids are mating. Many Aphids have generations that reproduce parthenogenetically. The females do not require a mate and give birth to live females. In this way they can reproduce very rapidly.

Smoke Tree Leafhopper
(11/08/2005) Couldn't find this one on your site
Very awesome site! I was able to identify several bugs I had no idea about. Thanks. Can you ID this one for me? Found in the back yard in southern California (Camarillo).
Adriano



Hi Adriano,
This is a new species for us, though once we saw one at our Mt. Washington offices but didn't have a camera. This is identified by Hogue as a Smoke Tree Leafhopper, Homalodisca lacerta. Yours is a female identified by the white globule spot on the wings.

Thanks and update Thank you for your identification of Smoke Tree Leafhopper, Homalodisca lacerta. I found a website today that indicates it may be a Homalodisca coagulata or Glassy-winged Sharpshooter instead. Link: Apparently, this critter is a Pierce's disease vector and a serious new threat to California vineyards. The summary on the above linked site is quite informative. Thanks again for having such a wonderful site!
Adriano

Flatid Planthopper
(10/13/2005) Leafhopper?
Hi Bugman,
I’ve looked through the sections on your site, and the closest things I found were the Buffalo Tree Hopper and perhaps the shape of the Red Banded Leaf Hopper.  I have quite a few of them (10-20) on my Cycad and once in a while I see them on my lime tree.  The like the shade and the underside the best.  They can fly but rarely do.  I haven’t been able to tell if the shells on the underside are from what they are eating or from nymphs that are hatching. They are pale green in colour with the biggest being about a centimetre long.  They have been on the plant for at least a few months.  I seem to remember a least a couple being there for almost a year now.  I live in Sydney, Australia and the pictures were taken today (it is currently spring time). Thanks for the help!
Dave



Hi Dave,
This is one of the Flatid Planthoppers in the Family Flatidae. We have a similar looking species in the states known as the Chloris, Anormenis chloris.

Scarlet and Green Leafhopper
(10/06/2005) leaf hopper
Hello Folks!  I have spent the summer photographing the different   insects at my local conservation area and quickly the hobby became a passion.  Your site has helped immensely in identifying them and also fueling my interest!  One of the challenges has been to get a clear photograph of the smallest of all the insects I see - the scarlet and blue leafhopper.  
Take Care,
Janet from Dundas, Ontario



Hi Janet,
So nice to see your diligence has paid off with a wonderful photograph and we get to reap the benefits of your labors. The Scarlet and Green Leafhopper, Graphocephala coccinea, is found in the eastern areas of the U.S. and adjacent areas of Canada. It has sucking mouthparts and injects saliva into plants which blocks tubes for the transportation of sap, often causing plants to wither and drop leaves.

Buffalo Treehopper
(07/23/2005) study in green
Hi, Daniel,
This beautiful little guy is about the size of, and just "feels" to me like, a leafhopper of some sort, despite the unusual shape. I don't see him on your site anywhere, but could have missed it. Any idea what I've got here? BTW, this is the third picture I've sent you, and I've wondered since the first what image size you would prefer to receive that would minimize the work on your end. I know there's a lot of work involved in being as responsive as you are, and we should lighten your load as much as we can. Do you want high resolution for detail in your archives, or small size for ease and speed?
Many thanks,  David in Kentucky



Hi David,
You couldn't locate your Buffalo Treehopper, Ceresa species, on our site because we haven't had one until yours. There are many species and they are very difficult to distinguish from one another. Regarding image size, we used to prefer smaller images because our mailbox easily overloaded. Now we have a 100 megabyte box, and don't have many problems. Because we have designs on both a calendar and a book, we like our best and most interesting images to be of the highest quality. Also, just upgrading to DSL helps with download time. We always need to reformat, crop and color correct anyways. Thanks for asking.

Spittlebug
(07/01/2005) What kind of bug is this and do we need to get rid of it? If so, how do we?
Jeffrey



Hi Jeffrey,
You have a species of Spittle Bug which we identified on Bug Guide as Prosapia bicincta. The nymphs are often found sucking the juices from plants while under the protection of a mass of frothy bubbles exuded from the anus. Another common name is Frog Hopper. They are injurious.

Wooley Aphid or Fungus???
(06/29/2005) tentacled moth?
I know a bit about bugs, certainly enough, to know this bug certainly   defies classification in any normal group.  Sadly it was already dead   when I found it, and I actually caught it thinking it was simply a   plant wisp caught in the breeze.  Upon further inspection I found a   very little insect body attatched to all the wispys.  I'm of the mind   that it is some kind of moth with incredibly strange wings (which are   quite sticky, its a very hard bug to put down).  Please let me know   if you have any idea what this creature is, I haven't had any luck.    The pictures aren't the best, but on the close up you can see it has   legs and a head. I figure with the strange wing wisps it shouldn't be   hard to either identify or recognize as a new critter.
Thanks, Duncan
West Chester, PA



Hi Duncan,
Eric Eaton helped us to correct this one. He writes: This is a "woolly aphid of some kind. There aren't that many species, but you have to link them to the host tree to conclude what they are."

Update:
(01/11/2007) bug images on WTB
Dear Bugman,
I enjoyed visiting your site. It really doesn't compete with BugGuide.net, since you have posted lots of foreign insects that they bar from that site. For example, you have some really nice photos of the primitive treehopper Aetalion (which is tropical). I thought you might like to know about the following:
(4) The "woolly aphid" is actually an insect infested by a fungus, that has sent out long fungal filaments.
Thanks for helping to spread an interest in Homoptera. We need to encourage the amateur.
Andy Hamilton

Red Banded Leafhopper
(06/28/2005) Identify this bug please and thankyou.
Hello:
I have come across several of these bugs in my backyard today, that I have not seen before and I am curious to what they are. They are very beautiful and only about 3/8" to 1/2" long. They fly. They have yellowundersides, legs and head with 2 pink spots on top of their head. The wings are a deep pink with lighter bluish pink stripes. They have a black stripe going from one side of the head all the way around to the other side of the head, thinning out around the mouth area. Sorry, that I couldn't get better photos, only have a video camera and it cannot take closer shots. Looking forward to hearing back from you soon.
 
I got a much closer look at these bugs and they are a deep fushia pink with lighter blue stripes on the wings. Sorry about that. I had to use the zoom on my camera and the defination is not very fine. On the back view of the bug the lighter pink stripes are actually blue. Thank you very much.
Darlene Johnson in Mt. Elgin, Ontario, Canada



Hi Darlene,
This is one of the Leafhoppers in the Family Cicadellidae. It looks to be the Red Banded Leafhopper, Graphocephala coccinea. Though beautiful, they can be destructive if numerous since they are sucking insects that feed on the sap of plants. They can also spread viruses from plant to plant.

Leafhopper Nymph
(06/22/2005) 2 pictures for you
Neat website! I take macro photos (mostly of spiders and insects) here in Denver, Colorado and have a little bug that is ubiquitous in our yard.  Every step I take in the lawn, generates hundreds of these little jumping bugs.  The blue background on the first photo is a standard pair of blue jeans, so the weave should give a sense of scale.  I tried to find out what it was, but came up short.  Do you know what it is?
Thanks,
Rachel Drummond



Hi Rachel,
This is some species of immature Leafhopper in the Family Cicadellidae. They suck the juices from plants.

Update: (01/11/2007) bug images on WTB
Dear Bugman,
I enjoyed visiting your site. It really doesn't compete with BugGuide.net, since you have posted lots of foreign insects that they bar from that site. For example, you have some really nice photos of the primitive treehopper Aetalion (which is tropical). I thought you might like to know about the following:
(5) The "leafhopper nymph" is actually a short-winged (brachypterous) leafhopper, Doratura stylata that is common on lawns. It has been introduced to North America from Europe.
Thanks for helping to spread an interest in Homoptera. We need to encourage the amateur.
Andy Hamilton

Treehopper Nymphs
(06/21/2005) Bug on my night blooming jasmin
Hi there,
I came across your site, and being a novice gardener, thought I would inquire as to whether or not you could identify this bug.  They are propagating on my night blooming jasmine.  I live in Southern California.  Thanks!
Michele



Hi Michele,
You have nymphs from some species of Treehopper. They are destructive.

Cottony Maple-Leaf Scale: Pulvinaria acericola
(06/09/2005) Whats this bug?
Bugman,
The leaves of my Norway Maple are filled with these. A friend tells me they are Mealy Bugs but they are unlike any Mealy Bug I have ever seen or have been able to Identify. The white mass is approx. 1/4 - 3/8 inches long and has what appears to b a brown scale like "cap" at one end. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Alan



Hi Alan,
You have a type of Cottony Scale insect from the genus Pulvinaria whose members are characterized by a naked adult female (the scale) who excretes a large cottony egg-sac beneath or behind her body. The Maple-Leaf Pulvinaria, Pulvinaria acericola is found on maple leaves which your photo beautifully illustrates. You might want to try to control the outbreak by checking with a local nursery.

Rose Scale
(06/06/2005) what is this??
i just noticed several of these on my rose bush, what the heck is it...it looks like an egg over-easy



You have Rose Scale, Aulacaspis rosae. According to Compton: "This species infests the stems of roses, blackberry, raspberry, dewberry, and some other plants. The infested stems often become densely coated with the scales. The scale of the female is circular, snowy white, with the exuviae light yellow and upon one side." Your photo shows a solitary female. Get rid of her before she reproduces and infests your bushes.

Aphids
(06/01/2005) Great site!
I have been searching for hours to try to find out what this bug is that has taken over one of my butterfly weed plants. Should I worry about it infesting the rest of my garden? I was reading some of the other posts and this is such a great resource for curious folks like me! Hope you can help me identify this bug.
Thanks, Timlie Reis
Gulf Coast Mississippi



Hi Timlie,
You have Aphids. These pests can easily infest many types of plants. You have some winged sexual adults which mate in the typical manner. They then produce generations of female aphids which do not need a mate, but can give live birth without the help of a male. The aphids then become very plentiful. They damage plants by sucking the juices from new growth. They are uaually very host plant specific but other aphids are more general feeders. You can easily eliminate them or at least contro them with diligent daily hosing. Use a strong spray to wash them away. You can also spray them with soapy water. It clogs their breathing aparatus and causes them to drown.

This is an additional comment relating to the milkweed in Temile's photo.  It was a milkweed plant which is the host plant for a number of butterflies, including monarchs.  Your advice about using soapy water to rid it of aphids was correct but would also kill off butterfly eggs, caterpillars & chrysalises.  A strong stream of water will also wash off eggs, caterpillars and possibly chrysalises.  There is hope, however!  The natural predator for the aphids is the lady beetle.  My experience is that  lady beetles usually come along about 2 weeks after the start of an aphid infestation.  If the infestation is not overwhelming I usually leave the aphids for the lady beetles.  The lady beetles may also lay eggs and the larva will devour the aphids.  But if my plants are overwhelmed by aphids or there are caterpillars feeding which need the leaves right away I control by carefully hand-squishing aphids (while they're still on the stems & leaves) until the lady beetles show up.  Yech!  But having monarchs around the yard all year is worth it.   You do a fabulous job!  
Warmly,
Kathleen Scott

Immature Keelbacked Treehoppers
(06/01/2005) on my eggplant
These bugs are freaking me out! They are crawling up my eggplant plants. As you can see, they look like double decker armored ants. They are with an ant in this photo and they seem to live peacefully with the ants except that I don't know what's happening with that ant which looks a little like it is in midair and I'm not sure why. The plants have ants on them too. I am scared of these bugs! Should I be? Will they eat the eggplants? I finally have a couple eggplants on the plants and I am looking forward to eating them myself and I don't want to share with weird looking bugs.
Please advise.
Lisa in Los Angeles



Dear Lisa,
You have immature Keelbacked Treehoppers, Antianthe expansa, which often infest eggplants and other solanaceous plants like tomatoes and peppers. They will not eat your eggplants, but they will suck the juices from the plant stems. Treehoppers are related to aphids and also have a symbiotic relationship with ants. The Treehoppers secrete honeydew from their anuses and the ants love to lap up the sweet treat. The immature Keelbacked Treehoppers are quite spiny and can pinch. The adults are green and winged. When they feed on the plant juices with their sucking mouthparts, they sometimes spread viruses to the plants. They are injurious and should be eliminated from the garden either with soapy water, or our favorite method, squashing.

Spittle Bug
(05/16/2005) Bug?
Hi!
Can you please help me identify this bug in my lawn.  It looks like a flying beetle and I need to know if it is going to cause problems.  Please let me know if you cannot see the pictures.
Shaki



Hi Shaki,
You have a species of Spittle Bug which we identified on Bug Guide as Prosapia bicincta. The nymphs are often found sucking the juices from plants while under the protection of a mass of frothy bubbles exuded from the anus. Another common name is Frog Hopper. They are injurious.

Mealy Bugs
(01/11/2005) bugs infesting my Emina fern
Dear Bugman,
I live in southern California and I noticed a bunch of these little bugs
on my emina fern, I was wondering if you could tell me what they are and
if they are harmful to my plants. They have a lot of little legs, the
antennae stick out of their back end, and they're about the size of the
tilde sign on the keyboard.
Thanks,
Tom



Hi Tom,
You have Mealy Bugs which will infest many types of house plants. Check with a local nursery about the best way to get rid of them.

(Dec/ 2004) Hi WTB,
I would really appreciate your help.  I found several hundred of the extremely small bugs shown here in my kitchen.  There was a vase with some dying Mums on a table near where they were found.  I live near Philadelphia.  Could you tell me what they are and how to get rid of them.
Thank you,
Brian S



Hi Brian,
It is difficult to be certain since your photo is so blurry, but I'm guessing the mums were infested with aphids and that is what you have. They are plant pests and will not harm your home.

Sharpshooter
(08/19/2004) Leaf Hopper
I can't tell you what a find you were on the internet.  Today, I was photographing insects on milk weed.  I found six different insects.  These three are not in any of my books.  I think it is a leaf hopper but can't find it in any books or on the internet.  They where in Orland Grassland in Orland Park Illinois.Thanks again... you are great! 
Suzanne



Hi Suzanne,
It is definitely a Leafhopper. WE thoughth the description of Oncometopia undata fit. It is described, according to Comstock as: "a common species. Its body, head, fore part of the thorax, scutellum, and legs are bright yellow, with circular lines of black on the head, thorax, and scutellum. The fore wings are bluish purple, when fresh, coated with whitish powder. It measures 12 mm. in length. It is said to lay its eggs in grape canes, and to puncture with its beak the stems of the bunches of grapes, cuasing the stems to wither and the bunches to drop off." We then did a websearch and found a photo on BugGuide.net that supported our supposition. Then we found a photo in our Audubon Field Guide that identifies it as Oncometopia nigricans and calls this large leafhopper a Sharpshooter.

Mexican Aphids
(07/06/2004)
hi I am from mexico and I have faund many insects in my garden that I cant identify so if you can help me I will be thankfull.
Daniel Vasquez

Hi Daniel,
Did you attach photos?  They did not arrive.  Where in Mexico?

well first i¨am fome mexico city the capital  y will send you the fotos now.



Hi again Daniel,
This image is of a species of Aphid, from the family Aphididae. They are pests that infest many types of plants. When numerous, they can be very injurious, especially to young tender shoots. They suck the juices from the plants and are also capable of tranmitting viruses to your plants.

Froghoppers
(07/02/2004)
I really enjoy identifying the bugs I rescue from the pool, and I always turn to your site first. You've done a great job. Here's one I can't seem to find anywhere. They are  generally about 1/4" long with two yellow horizontal stripes crossing their wings. I've seen them jump/fly short distances  when I take them out of the pool.  I think they may be the same bugs  that scatter when I cut areas of  high grass in my yard. A friend tells me that they bite or sting, but I've not had a problem. They just don't swim very well! Thanks for your time and keep up the good work.
Take care,
Len Seamon



Hi Len,
Thank you for the nice letter, and also your kind behavior to hapless victims that stumble or fly into your pool. Your photo, size and description suggest that you have a species of Froghopper, Family Cercopidae, but not one I am familiar with. They are related to Spittlebugs and are small hopping insects, rarely over 1/2 inch in length. They sometimes resemble tiny frogs in shape. Some have a characteristic color pattern. They feed on shrubs and herbaceous plants. Nymphs form a spittle which is a fluid voided from the anus. Air bubbles are introduced creating the frothy appearance. The insects have sucking mouthparts, and I have heard reports of people being bitten. The bite is not dangerous, just an annoyance.

Ant Cows!!
(06/28/2004) Little static critters
Hello dear bugman.
I noticed these little things on the underside of my pompom viburnam tree’s leaves. What are they?? I have a postage-stamp sized garden in downtown Boston , a few trees and perennials and usually bugs are not a problem; we get bees mostly. Some ants. Although we have had slugs. We don’t even get mosqiotos!  SO I didn’t think I had a real pest, but then I noticed them on the underside of my dead cosmos as well. No other plants seem affected.  I think they are pests indeed. Humph! Any idea? They don’t move much, usually are lumped up together in clusters,  they are slightly varied sizes, seem teardrop shaped, and they have a matte charcoal finish to them. Oh and as you can see, tiny red ants like to crawl all over them. I can’t get close enough to count the legs, they are sooo small!  I would love a super, natural solution that works in a tiny backyard (lots of folks close around this garden, so I don’t want to be spraying bad things in the air) Any ideas on my mystery guests?
J Thank you so much! (love the site)



Dear J.,
You have Ant Cows, a common name for Aphids. Aphids are pests which suck the juices from plants and spread viruses, though not to people. Ants "farm" the aphids because of the sticky Honeydew they exude from their anuses. A mild spray of soapy water on a daily basis will help rid your postage stamp garden from this vile pestilence.

Leaf Hoppers: Ophiderma sp. (probably O. definita or O. pubescens)
(06/10/2004)
Hi WTB Guy!
I live on long island, and we have hundreds of these bugs swarming outside our house each night.  A few of them often find their way in and spend the night buzzing around the lights.   We have a large cedar tree near our front door, and I'm wondering if they are related to that tree? 
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Adam



Dear Adam,
You have some type of Leafhopper, Family Cicadellidae. These are Homopterans, related to cicadas, aphids and treehoppers. They have sucking mouthparts and many species carry viral diseases that they spread to their host plants, but not to people. Sorry, I can't identify your exact species.

Update (01/22/2006)
The following is an excerpt from a letter by Julieta Brambila:
" I printed two images for Mark Rothschild, expert in Membracidae, and he gave me this information: Ophiderma sp. (probably O. definita or O. pubescens) is the identification for another membracid. He wrote: "They are found on oaks (Quercus sp.), not cedars". This image is from a message from 06/10/2004 by Adam, from Long Island. The image has a penny to compare the sizes. The writer wars wondering if the insects had anything to do with the cedar near his front door."

(10/30/2003)
Here are some pictures I took while deer hunting in Pennsylvania. These things cover the branches and move around shaking there "tails" in the air. I took a few home in a plastic bag and wached them under a microscope. Their behavor was very interesting. What are they?
Thanks, Ron

Hi Ron,
Homopterans are a large group of insects including aphids and scale insects, and many members of the Sub-Order have the cottony appearance your picture exemplifies. A good guess would be the Cottony Maple Scale, Pulvinaria vitis, which is common and wide spread, and though it prefers maple trees as a host, it can be found on many other deciduous hardwood trees as well.

Campylenchia latipes
(10/17/2003)
I've just found your website and I maybe you can help me with the identification of this particular tree- or leafhopper (picture attached). This photo is to be included in the Encyclopedia, and the editor needs the species name . If you know it, please send a message ASAP - I would be MOST GRATEFUL!!!
Best regards,
Wawrzyniec Podrzucki
P.S. Thepicture was taken in Pennsylvania.


Hi there Wawrzyniec Podrzucki,
I'm guessing Thelia bimaculata, a female. Here is a website with images.Good luck on getting in that encyclopedia. Your photograph is beautiful.
Treehoppers belong to the Family Membracidae. They are called Treehoppers because most of the species live on trees and low bushes, hopping vigorously when disturbed. All of the species suck plant juices. Many of the young secrete honeydew like aphids.

(10/13/2003) Eggplant bugs?
I am hoping you can help me identify the spiny little critters that have taken up residence on my eggplants. Sorry the picture is not real clear, but it does show their yellow and brown stripes, and the spikes that cover them all over. I live in San Diego, California. How can I get rid of them without using some harmful chemical? Would insecticidal soap work?
Thanks for your Help,
Dawn Jurek

Dear Dawn,
Your eggplants have an infestation of Keelbacked Treehoppers, Antianthe expansa, in the nymph stage. The adults are green winged creatures that have sharply keeled backs and sharp spines on each side of the head. The nymphs are black and orange and spiny as indicated in your photo. The nymphs are very sensitive to approaching danger and migrate to the other side of the stem en masse away from the hands of the gardener or any other perceived danger. They feed on the sap of solanaceous plants including eggplant, tomatoes and peppers. Treehoppers, which belong to the insect order Homoptera, are related to aphids, cicadas, mealybugs, scale insects and leafhoppers. You can try picking them manually, but beware the sharp spines, or you can spray the plants with a mild solution of soapy water.

(9/5/2003)
I have an infestation of bugs on my willow tree. They are dark gray with black spots and shaped kind of like a light bulb. The narrow part at the head. The back legs are longer than the front and they have little antennae. There are thousands clustered together. Can you tell me what they are and how to treat them?
Kim Kincaid
Aloha, OR

Hi Kim,
Sorry about the delay. I believe you have Giant Willow Aphids, Pterochlorus viminalis. This is a large species, reaching about 1/4 inch. It is gray with black spots, short black horns on the abdomen and a large tubercle in the middle of the abdomen. It feeds in large, compact colonies on the trunks and branches of willows often near the ground, and when disturbed has the habit of kicking the hind legs back and forth above the abdomen in a very energetic manner. This habit is common to all the individuals of a colony and is probably a means of warding off natural enemies according to Essig. Try your local nursery for a treatment. Here is a site with great information and photos.

(9/1/2003)
I need your help please. Where I live in California, my house in like in the middle of a field. With some trees around the house and for grass it's all dried old weeds no green grass! We just started cleaning the yard (field) up and besides wolf spiders, and earwigs and ants etc. we've noticed a lot of these bugs that fly leap from the weeds and trees. I want to call them ticks but I haven't found a tick picture that looks like these. They are brown and also bright neon green. The body is hard and the head is like a triangle. Please help me soooooooon if you can. Thanks.
Up to my knees in bugs.

Dear Knees,
You are being bothered by leaf hoppers Family Cicadellidae or spittle bugs Family cercopidae, both of which will feed off the sap of plants but will not harm people. Spittle Bugs leave frothy foam on plant stems that resembles spittle and serves as a shelter for the feeding nymphs.

Dear Infested,
Try a garden hose directly on the affected areas. The aphids will wash off with the water jet and die without a food source.  Diligence is important as winged adults can always return, but the nymphs are goners.

More about the aphids:
Many of you read with disgust the following account about the aphids found in a sandwich purchased from Wild Oats on Sunday. On Monday, we called the offending store and spoke to the manager, who apologized for the infestation and promised to look into the matter. Sharon and I returned to the rocky waters and ordered a couple of new sandwiches, which we got sans lettuce. And we were happy to meet Bobby, the deli counter guy who is a self-described "lettuce nazi." I hope he's also an "aphid nazi."

April 15, 2002

      I didn't write "What's That Bug?," because when I discovered this critter, "What's That Bug?" was sitting right next to me.
     For those of you who didn't hear my piercing screams last night (which carried for miles), the picture above shows the extra protein which was included in a turkey sandwich which I'd purchased from Wild Oats in Pasadena last night. The hitchhiker was immediately identified as an aphid. Also included within the two whole wheat slices was a deader version of this critter, which is what prompted a more thorough investigation of the meal in the first place.
      Buff Charlie, who eats both lunch and dinner daily at this fine natural grocery store, strode powerfully to the store and got to the bottom of the infestation. He chastised the staff, and forced them to remove all lettuce from the deli section. "It's a good idea to always look at your food before eating it," a friendly employee advised him.
   That's good advice, especially when munching on produce. Here in the AH backyard, our lettuce is home to all manner of hungry beasts. Rhonda is always out smushing slugs and grasshoppers. But once our garden produce enters the home, we are no longer playing games with the pests. They are removed, completely. None are pardoned.
      I can only wonder why Wild Oats doesn't share this philosophy of cleanliness and death. Is this what "organic" means these days?

Thanks, Daniel, for grossing me out even more! Buggy anal sugar! EWWW! This unsolicitated letter was received this morning:

Dear American Homebody,
     Though no official question has been posed, I thought it was my duty to inform you of some aphid facts since your very recent experience with tainted lettuce on a store bought, organic sandwich. No one knows better than Hogue, who writes "Aphids (Family Aphidae) Aphids are notorious pests of cultivated plants. Prolific breeders, they swiftly spread over the tender growing tips of prize roses and other plants, from which they withdraw large quantities of sap. The result is a wilted, curled, and unsightly mass of leaves or a dead plant. The aphid's harm is increased by its habit of copiously excreting from the anus a sugary solution called 'honeydew,' which covers the host plant with a sticky unsightly residue that often becomes blackened with a growth of sooty mold. Aphids also transmit viral diseases to plants. ... Aphids are remarkable for their peculiar modes of reproduction and development, which involve polymorphism (the capability of assuming different body forms). They display life cycles so complicated and varied that they are impossible to summarize here. Parthenogenesis (the development of unfertilized eggs), viviparity (the bearing of live young), and winged and wingless generations are common reproductive phenomena."
      One can only guess that the designer store in question found it too costly to clean their organic lettuce in Evian, so they neglected to do so at all to keep the harmful tap water chemicals from their chemical free produce.