Close-up of a mass of clear liquid hangs from a reddish twig. In the mass there are a few bubbles, and the rear end of the inhabitant, a small, half dark and white spittlebug nymph.

Can't get over how clear/bubble-free this spittle mass is. You can easily see the spittlebug nymph inside. It's like a tiny fish (bug?) bowl! 🤩

P.S. - that fluid all came from its anus 😳

#Cercopoidea #Cercopidae s.l.
Avery Co., NC

Close-up macro photograph of two yellow-orange spittlebug nymphs (family Cercopidae) nestled inside a dense cluster of iridescent, glistening bubbles on a green plant stem. The foamy mass surrounds and protects the soft-bodied insects, giving them shelter as they feed on the plant's sap. The bubbles are semi-transparent and vary in size, with fine surface reflections creating a pearlescent look. Fine plant hairs and the vivid green background further enhance the contrast and detail of the foam and nymphs.

Another shot from Dr. Beynon's Bug Farm in Pembrokeshire. Spittlebug nymphs #Cercopidae hide in foamy sap bubbles as they feed. What looks like spit is a clever shelter for these tiny sap-suckers. Many people walk right by these!

🪲🪳🌿 #Invert #Bugsky #macrophotography #hemiptera #entomology

A froghopper or spittlebug in the family Cercopidae on a white background. The insect is boldly patterned in alternating thick, transverse black and red-orange stripes.

New day, new species [apparently]! 🥰 I photographed this #froghopper / #spittlebug ( #Hemiptera: #Cercopidae ) in Costa Rica this past August. An expert just mentioned that it's likely a new sp.: www.inaturalist.org/observations...

Even the most conspicuous of creatures can be undescribed!

"Potential sharpshooter vectors, #cercopidae, are widespread in Europe" by D Bosco, #Xylella meeting #ANSES

"Potential sharpshooter vectors, #cercopidae, are widespread in Europe" by D Bosco, #Xylella meeting #ANSES