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Project Noah Nature School
Ledromorpha planirostris
18mm long, 2mm height, can go very flat onto bark of local eucalyptus (Eucalyptus microcarpa) - symmetrical pattern reveals its outline otherwise well camouflaged
Smooth eucalyptus bark - this one on Corymbia citriodora.
Cicadellidae: Ledrinae: Ledrini: ---- Apparently the adults are up to 28mm long with a tapered tail which is actually an ovipositor. The largest known tree hopper. Also there are no males - the species is parthenogenic !!!
Spotted on Dec 22, 2011
Submitted on Dec 26, 2011
11 Comments
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/816...
Well done argybee ! - good spotting. Should follow this nymph to adulthood with some pics, of course !
Gee thanks martin. Good info link too. I had these pics for quite a few days and thought they were not interesting enough to put up. Just goes to show the most boring looking thing might turn out to be the most interesting. Must look through other stuff I have thought too boring until now. Yep - interesting creature alright. I'm determined to try to find the adults now.
Congratulation,
I award you the arthropod spotting of the day. You get to keep your patch for sure now. Did you see this link? http://www1.dpi.nsw.gov.au/keys/leafhop/...
Oh sorry martin - I was editing while you were posting - we got to the same place anyway. I think that's it - thanks. Wish I had a better common name for it though.
You've got to check this link including the nymph stages http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_...
I love your second pic. These bugs fascinate me.
Thanks for that suggestion martin.
It didn't seem leafhopperish because it was a very flexible thing - could arch it's back quite a lot and the sides seemed to flex down to make a snug fit on the bark.
I've got some newer clearer pics yet to process.
I've just listed a leaf hopper that I believe is a second cousin to yours; http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/818...
I would suggest a leafhopper. I noticed another recent spotting on PN that got ID'd as a leafhopper so someone out there knows it! It will be similar to this one http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_...