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Ricanula sp.
At first glance the small insect may resemble a moth but it is actually a planthopper from the Order Hemiptera ("true bugs") and Family Ricaniidae, "containing over 40 genera and 400 species world-wide. Thus, they are one of the smaller families in the planthopper superfamily Fulgoroidea. The highest diversity is in tropical Africa and Asia and in Australia, with a few species occurring in the Palearctic."
Spotted on a variegated croton leaf (Codiaeum variegatum) in a large semi-urban yard & garden adjacent to a disturbed remnant patch of forest.
A similar species, Ricanula stigmatica, can be seen here: http://globalspecies.org/ntaxa/703156
Spotted on Aug 29, 2012
Submitted on Aug 30, 2012
7 Comments
Yes, I saw that! Even when someone would get it right the people following would keep on picking the yellow "butterfly". Just goes to show that most people don't read the previous comments ;-)
Scott, this little hopper had almost everyone fooled in our moth quiz yesterday!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=...
Thanks Jolly!
Wow! You have such beautiful diversity in the colors of your planthoppers. Magnificent!
Thanks very much, Carol!
Thanks for sharing the reference. Cool!
Gorgeous! It does look like a moth.