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Parasitoid Wasp Emerging

Posted on December 7, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

July 8, 2011 | Victorio Siqueroli Park, Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Each one of these eggs from the underside of a leaf was parasitized by a wasp. Â Their barrel shape with round fringed caps suggests they might be stink bug eggs. Had a stink bug nymph emerged, the caps would have been neatly opened. Instead, they each have a roundish hole chewed in them. In fact, there’s a parasitoid wasp straggler chewing its way free from the rightmost egg.

I might be seeing things, but you can almost make out the wasp’s body through the transparent egg shell.

View from the other side

I didn’t notice at the time, but a mite came along. read more

Posted in Easter Eggs, Featured Photos | 1 Comment

Delphacid With Unusual Antennae

Posted on November 27, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

5mm long body | July 8, 2011 | Victorio Siqueroli Park, Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Those are some weird looking antennae for a planthopper. After a bit of research, I determined that this member of the family Delphacidae belongs in the genus Copicerus. There are at least three species in Brazil according to this page. One of those species, Copicerus irroratus, ranges into temperate North America.

Posted in Featured Photos | 2 Comments

Aetalionid

Posted on November 26, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

11mm long | July 8, 2011 | Victorio Siqueroli Park, Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil

This atypical treehopper belongs not to the family Membracidae, but to a separate family, Aetalionidae.

Searching around on the internet, it seems most photographers generally seem to catch these hoppers while tending their eggs, as shown here.

To learn a bit more about the family check out Ted C. MacRae’s postÂ from earlier this year.

Reference:

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Another Possible Cyphonia Treehopper

Posted on November 23, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

3mm long | July 6, 2011 | Victorio Siqueroli Park, Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil

This might be another CyphoniaÂ species. I’ve seen a fewÂ similar ones before, but not one quite like this.

Side view

I believe these photos are all of the same individual, but I can’t be sure. It was skittish, but when spooked it always seemed to land close by.

Another view

These really are very small treehoppers, only around 3mm long.

Dorsal view

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Immature Assassin Bug

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

15mm long | July 5, 2011 | Victorio Siqueroli Park, Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil

It looks somewhat clumsy at this stage, but it’s nonetheless a capable predator.

Closer view

I forgot to turn off one of the flash heads so as to avoid the double eye highlight.

Posted in Featured Photos | 3 Comments

Colorful Leafhopper

Posted on October 10, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

5mm long | July 5, 2011 | Victorio Siqueroli Park, Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil

It’s a shame I found this attractive little leafhopper on such an ugly leaf.

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Thorn Mimic Treehoppers

Posted on October 8, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

10mm long | July 5, 2011 | Victorio Siqueroli Park, Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Treehoppers like this one are sometimes said to mimic thorns. If so, it would have to be a dull thorn, and it doesn’t do it much good hanging out on a leaf.Â More often though, you’ll find them hanging out together on branches.

Group of treehoppers

Posted in Featured Photos | 4 Comments

Scale Insects

Posted on October 2, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

July 5, 2011 | Victorio Siqueroli Park, Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil

I assume these are scale insects. When I saw them I remembered the mysterious sign I spotted earlier in the year in Costa Rica. After seeing this, I think scales were probably responsible for that.

Note how they’re arranged along the central leaf vein. They’re undoubtedly taking plant juices through that midvein.

Click on the photo for a larger version and see if you scan spot a small mite (an “easter egg” I didn’t know about when I took the photo). Then see if you can find its recently cast off skin! read more

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