A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Psectra iniqua
I thought it was a planthopper, then I thought it was a lacewing. Now I don't think it is either. Pretty nondescript fly-like insect but flash revealed a lovely necklace of gold. Flies well.
On the wall.
The first photo was taken with flash and cropped. The second was taken without flash and has not been cropped. All thanks to John B for the detective work that ID-ed this insect for me.
5 Comments
Hello from India, It is always wonderful to interact with you John, the courtesy you show everyone is such a rare phenomenon these days. Reading your comment, I must agree that I cannot co-relate the "Pharaoh's necklace" to any structure...so, perhaps you the light is the agent!
Good evening from the Philippines, Sukanya. Your kind words are much appreciated, but I can't forget how you helped me, step by step, throughout my early months in Project Noah. Now, to return to the subject of the "Pharaoh's necklace", I am pretty sure that it is just, as you pointed out in your Notes, an effect produced by the flash striking the nervure of the wings at a certain angle. I cannot find a photo of a specimen with the wings spread out, but I suspect that we might be seeing the reflected light from the hindwings. If you look at https://mexico.inaturalist.org/taxa/4245........ the necklace can be seen in a photo without flash, but it is not possible to know if the necklace pattern is in the forewings or the hindwings. Thank you for sharing your photos. I always like spottings which raise questions because they are both challenging and rewarding.
Thank you , John. You have been incredibly generous with your time...to give me an ID
So, it IS a lacewing, after all...I wonder what those stick like things are..the Pharaoh's necklace that it seems to be wearing.
The closest I have found is https://www.inaturalist.org/observations........ in Bangladesh.
Hi Sukanya, I am sure that you were right to dismiss the possibilty of this being a Hopper, but I think your insect looks very much like Psectra iniqua. I am still searching for confirmation of distribution and will let you know if I find it.