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Project Noah Nature School
Brown lerp insect with spotted back and rudimentary wings.
This scale insect hides under a waxy shell at the tip of a leaf. The leaf tip is curled over forming a convex section enabling the safe occupation of this creative little habitat.
Spotted on Feb 1, 2011
Submitted on Feb 3, 2012
7 Comments
interesting !
Thanks for that additional info!
Also these lerps were a prized bush tucker.
here's another link
http://outernode.pir.sa.gov.au/forestry/...
A lerp is a shell or covering. Psyllids are the smallest (in size) and largest (in number of species) of hemipteran bugs. Some psyllids induce leaf gall formation (other insects do too). Some psyllids produce waxy or starchy covers (lerps) to hide under while they are nymphs. Some psyllids are entirely free living. . The word "lerp" actually has its origin as an Aborigine word that described these little structures. http://buginfo.com/article.cfm?id=64
That's a good pic. Hope you're not going loopy over lerps.:)
What is a lerp?