10th March 2016
GREEN GUM LEAFHOPPER (Eurymeloides pulchra)
This small insect (approx 2cm long) was on a dying Eucalyptus tree at our patch late morning. It was surrounded by ants, and the brightly coloured orange black and white insect resembled a small cicada. It took me a little while to find an i.d. for this one and I must thank Daniel Heald, also a member of Amateur Entomology Australia for helping me figure it out.
Leafhoppers do resemble small cicadas and the adults and numphs are "followed around" by ants. Brisbane Insects says "Those ants surround them come for their excretion of 'honey-dew', which is the excess sugar that the treehoppers do not need. The presence of ants discourage predators. This becomes a kind of protection from the ants."
This particular Leafhopper (Eurymelini) are only found on Eucalyptus trees. Other types of leafhoppers can be found on either Eucalyptus or Casuarina.
J.G.
GREEN GUM LEAFHOPPER (Eurymeloides pulchra)
This small insect (approx 2cm long) was on a dying Eucalyptus tree at our patch late morning. It was surrounded by ants, and the brightly coloured orange black and white insect resembled a small cicada. It took me a little while to find an i.d. for this one and I must thank Daniel Heald, also a member of Amateur Entomology Australia for helping me figure it out.
Leafhoppers do resemble small cicadas and the adults and numphs are "followed around" by ants. Brisbane Insects says "Those ants surround them come for their excretion of 'honey-dew', which is the excess sugar that the treehoppers do not need. The presence of ants discourage predators. This becomes a kind of protection from the ants."
This particular Leafhopper (Eurymelini) are only found on Eucalyptus trees. Other types of leafhoppers can be found on either Eucalyptus or Casuarina.
J.G.
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| GREEN GUM LEAFHOPPER (Eurymeloides pulchra) |
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| GREEN GUM LEAFHOPPER (Eurymeloides pulchra) Surrounded by ants. |
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| GREEN GUM LEAFHOPPER (Eurymeloides pulchra) |
Hello!:) This is an extreemly striking looking Leafhopper. Interesting about the ants!
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