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Project Noah Nature School
Cardiaspina fiscella
Sometimes eucalyptus trees have brightly discolored leaves. Under each colored mark is a lerp forming bug seen in pic #2. The pic #4 shows two different aged lerp insects in their sugary prisons.
Scale insect (lerp#13)
http://outernode.pir.sa.gov.au/forestry/... The name 'lerp' is derived from the aboriginal word 'larp', for the thick encrustations of these insects that were often collected for food.
Still think these are great-looking lerps Martin. Good to have an ID -must remember to check on brightly coloured leaves. There seems to be nothing much around at the moment (locally anyway) !
I think these seashell lerps are best represented in Australia so you might need to come for a visit.
Bugs taking shelter under "seashells", that is something I have got to spot.
Thanks for your comments Karen, Mayra, Daacwen.
Some trees are totally covered with colorful (red, orange, yellow) patches on their leaves. Odd for an evergreen. They always have these same shelly lerps on the undersides.
How did I miss this one ! Good clear pics martin.
Here's something interesting. Record their songs to tell which species they are!
http://www.psyllids.org/CardiaspinaSOUND...
The name 'lerp' is derived from the aboriginal word 'larp', for the thick encrustations of these insects that were often collected for food.
http://outernode.pir.sa.gov.au/forestry/...
Spotted on Feb 24, 2012
Submitted on Feb 24, 2012
