Insect Identification

*** Note: KnowYourInsects.org does its best to include correct identifications of insect photos. It’s always possible that we made a mistake, however, so if you see a misidentification, please contact us and we will correct it. Thanks!

Order Hemiptera: the true bugs — Examples
Note: The former classifications of Heteroptera and Homoptera are now included in the order Hemiptera.

Now on THREE pages

Families represented — Page 3 (current page):

Suborder Auchenorrhyncha:

Suborder Sternorrhyncha:

Page 1:
Suborder Heteroptera

Page 2:
Suborder Heteroptera

Cicadidae (the cicadas)

Bush cicada, Megatibicen dorsatus, family Cicadidae.
□ This bush cicada is quite dashing in black and brown. Its call is a long, rapidly repeated ck-ck-ck-ck sound. To hear it, click here (CicadaMania). Another common name for the bush cicada is giant grassland cicada, and it can be nearly 1.5 inches long (3.6 cm). Note: The genus name of Megatibicen was previously Neotibicen.
Photographed and identified to order by: Nicole Burgoz. Identified to species by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Pampa, Gray County, Texas, USA. Date: 26 August, 2015.

Ash cicada, Cicada orni, subfamily Cicadinae, family Cicadidae.
□ Note the wonderful camouflage on this ash cicada, which was photographed on a tree trunk in Greece.
Photographed by: Philip Cope. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Greek island of Kos. Date: 21 September, 2019.

Linné’s annual cicada, Neotibicen linnei, subfamily Cicadinae, family Cicadidae.
□ The name cicada means buzzer in Latin. This makes sense, because cicadas make a quite loud and high-pitched buzzing sound. To compare the song of Linné’s annual cicada to other species click here (SongsOfInsects.com).
□ The characteristic green leading edge on each of the otherwise clear wings of this annual cicada is visible in these photos. The left photo also shows a bit of its straw-like mouthparts (it looks rather like a brown, pointy chin). The cicada uses its mouthparts to drink plant sap during its brief life as an adult.
Photographed and identified by: Matthew Woods. Location: Ypsilanti, Washtenaw County, Michigan, USA. Date: 8 September, 2013.

Linné’s annual cicada, Neotibicen linnei, subfamily Cicadinae, family Cicadidae.
□ Click on the photo to zoom in and see its amazing eyes!
Photographed and identified by: Aaron Fortin. Location: Sterling Heights, Michigan, USA. Date: 14 August, 2018.

Linne's annual cicada (Neotibicen linnei)

Linné’s annual cicada, Neotibicen linnei, subfamily Cicadinae, family Cicadidae.
□ These views of an Linné’s annual cicada show details that are often missed: the small, thread-like antennae that look almost like whiskers, the clypeus (the section at the front of its face) that looks like the grill of an antique automobile, the white markings on its abdomen, and the small black smudges on its wings.
Photographed and identified to family by: Laura Saaf. Identified to species by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA. Date: 14 August, 2020.
Laura says, “Last night, a slow-moving cicada very sweetly allowed me to bring it indoors and take some fairly good shots.”

Linné’s annual cicada, Neotibicen linnei, subfamily Cicadinae, family Cicadidae.
□ Linné’s annual cicada looks nearly identical to a swamp cicada Neotibicen tibicen. One of the slight differences is the shape of the wings. In Linné’s, the leading edge of each wing has a bit sharper curve in it. To see a comparison of the wings in Linné’s and the swamp cicada, click here and scan down a bit (CicadaMania).
Photographed and identified by: Norine Nichols. Location: Sterling Heights, Michigan, USA. Date: 18 September, 2016.
Norine says, “I never realized how colorful they were. You hear them, but rarely see them.” She adds, “I just saved this guy from a container with water in it. He is drying out on my deck.” Way to go, Norine!

Linné’s annual cicada, Neotibicen linnei, subfamily Cicadinae, family Cicadidae.
□ This series of photos reveals the metamorphosis of a Linne’s annual cicada. The left photo is the last molt, as the back of the nymph has split open and the adult is emerging. The spent casing is called exuviae, and is left behind. The second photo shows one of its wings, which looks almost like a thick hind leg. The third photo shows the wings expanded. As its body dries over the few hours, it will take on its adult coloration, as seen in the fourth photo.
Photographed by: Anonymous. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Saginaw County, Michigan, USA. Date: 26 July, 2016.

Scissor-grinder cicada (Neotibicen winnemanna)

Eastern scissor-grinder, Neotibicen winnemanna, subfamily Cicadinae, family Cicadidae.
□ The scissor-grinder cicada has a song with short bursts that rise in amplitude. To hear the song of this cicada, click here (SongsOfInsects.com). Individuals in this species have quite a bit of variation in the amount of black and green on the pronotum (the plate-like covering over the thorax) — this one has a handsome mix!
Photographed by: Jessica Williams. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Powell, Ohio, USA. Date: 11 August, 2020.

The order Hemiptera is split into two suborders: Heteroptera and Auchenorrhyncha (formerly mainly Homoptera). One difference between the two is that Heteroptera has forewings that are half-sheath and half-membranous, whereas Auchenorrhyncha has wings with a uniform structure.

Dog day cicada, Neotibicen canicularis, subfamily Cicadinae, family Cicadidae.
□ The dog day cicada gets its name because it sings — a high-pitched sh-sh-sh noise — during the height or “dog days” of summer. The dog days are the time of year when the constellation Canis Major (which translates to “the big dog”), is prominent in the Northern Hemisphere’s night sky. Its species name of canicularis is also derived from canis, which is the Latin word for dog.
Photographed by: Reginald Willis. Identified to species by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: The Michigan Urban Farming Initiative, Detroit, Michigan, USA. Date: 9 August, 2019.

Dog-day cicada, likely Neotibicen canicularis, subfamily Cicadinae, family Cicadidae.
□ The green wing veins really stand out against the silvery tint of this dog-day cicada. The technical term for the silver “frosting” is pruinosity, and this amount is unusual.
Photographed and identified by: Kim Minard. Location: Seeleys Bay, Ontario, Canada. Date: 1 August, 2020.

Cicada in the genus Neotibicen, subfamily Cicadinae, family Cicadidae.
□ The photographer captured both the spent casing and the newly emerged adult cicada sitting right next to the casing. When they are newly emerged, the adult’s wing veins are often a bright green, as beautifully illustrated here.
Photographed by: Grant Otteson. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Date: 20 August, 2022. Location: Minnesota, USA.
This was Grant’s first sighting of cicadas, but by noticing the similarity in the shape of the head in the spent casing and in the adult, he correctly surmised that the adult emerged from the casing. Nicely done, Grant! Date: 20 August, 2022.

Tosena albata (no specific common name), subfamily Cicadinae, family Cicadidae.
□ Tosena albata is a large cicada: the typical female has a body about 5 cm (2 inches) long; and the male is about 6 cm (2.4 inches) in body length. In both sexes, the wingspan is more than twice the body length. This is a species of Southeast Asia. Note: Tosena albata was formerly considered a subspecies of Tosena melanoptera.
Photographed and identified by: Eric Blehaut. Excellent ID, Eric! Date: 23 May, 2009. Location: Jairampur, Arunachal Pradesh, India.

Arizona cicada in the genus Diceroprocta, subfamily Cicadinae, family Cicadidae.
□ Three species are often called Arizona cicadas, and they look so much alike that they are listed by the combination scientific name of Diceroprocta apache-cinctifera-semicincta. This photo shows the typical appearance of these species: black body with a cream-colored band across the pronotum (the plate-like covering over the thorax), and wing veins that transition from cream-colored to black.
Photographed by: Sandy Steinfelt. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Date: summer 2022. Location: Arizona, USA.
Sandy says she heard them in May in Sedona, Arizona: “At first we thought it was power lines or something until it was obvious that wasn’t an option, and we noticed they would sometimes stop or start their buzzing depending on how close we were to their hideout.” Date: 26 July, 2016.

Dundubia nagarasingna (no specific common name), female, subfamily Cicadinae, family Cicadidae.
□ Dundubia nagarasingna is quite common in Thailand, where this photo was taken. To tell a female from a male of this species as well as other cicada species, flip it over and look at the tip of the abdomen. The male has a rounded tip, whereas the female has a pointed tip, as is easily seen in the close-up on the lower right. The female’s pointed tip is the end of a tubular structure called an ovipositor, which she uses to lay her eggs.
Photographed and identified by: Eric Blehaut. Excellent ID, Eric! Date: 13 March, 2023. Location: Mueang Nonthaburi, Thailand.
Eric says he found this one on his mosquito screen.

A cicada, possibly in the genus Okanagana, subfamily Tibicininae, family Cicadidae.
□ This newly molted cicada will soon change from the bright, almost neon green to its adult coloration, which may be brown or black. See the photographer’s comments below.
Photographed and identified as a cicada by: Nora Schwab. Identified to possible genus by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Fair Oaks, California, USA. Date: 10 June, 2023.
Nora says she has seen the sheds of cicadas in her yard before, but this was the first adult. “It was very busy, walking all over my hand and arm. Getting its photo was a bit of a task because it was constantly moving.”

For more about cicadas and how scientists are watching large emergences of these insects, click here (EntomologyToday.org).

A cicada, pupa, family Cicadidae.
□ Once the photographer found out what it was, he and his friends continued watching the cicada pupa, and were able to witness its metamorphosis into an adult. See his comments below.
Photographed and identified by: Derrick Maia. Location: Chelmsford, Massachusetts, USA. Date: 1 August, 2016.
Derrick and his friends took a video of the metamorphosis and sent it in — and it included some colorful commentary from the young men. With the video, Derrick cautioned, “Sorry for the swears in the video. Very cool stuff. Set it free in a tree!” KnowYourInsects.org says :-D

Membracidae (the treehoppers and thorn bugs)

Oak treehopper, Platycotis vittata, subfamily Membracinae, family Membracidae.
□ The oak treehopper has quite a bit of variation. The striped pattern and tall “horn” is common to many individuals (as shown here), but some lack the horn and some have a darker, grayish-brown background color that makes the red stripes difficult to see.
Photographed and identified to family by: Tonya Sexton. Identified to species by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Fish Hawk, Florida, USA. Date: 25 March, 2018.

Oak treehopper, Platycotis vittata, subfamily Membracinae, family Membracidae.
□ This little oak treehopper looks like it is made up for a performance as a circus clown. It is quite a stunning bug, and one that few people ever see. This bug was actually hanging upside down, so the photos have been rotated to aid in visualization. The photo at right is a view of the insect head-on.
Photographed by: J. P. Young. Identified to by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Sedona, Arizona, USA. Date: 15 May, 2020.
John says, “I found this guy on a flower in the garden today. I’ve never seen anything like it.... This was probably one of the coolest bugs I have ever seen!!”

Treehopper in the genus Enchenopa, nymph (immature or juvenile), subfamily Membracinae, family Membracidae.
□ This treehopper in the genus Enchenopa is one strange-looking insect! Like many other treehoppers, members of this genus have a horn behind its head (shown at upper left in the left-side photo). The nymphs (immatures) of different species often have a many-spiked ridge along their backs (close-up of the ridge shown in the photo at right).
Photographed by: Jill Schneider. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Lower Michigan, USA. Date: 22 June, 2019.
Jill says, “Found it on my neck while working under an oak in lower Michigan.”

Cowbug treehopper, also known as a thorn mimic treehopper, Oxyrachis tarandus, subfamily Centrotinae, family Membracidae.
□ The cowbug treehopper has a mutualistic relationship with ants: It secretes a sugary substance, called honeydew, which provides food to ants; and the ants provide the bug with protection from predators. Ant protection comes in form of bites from its jaws and, in some species, also stings from its abdominal stinger.
Photographed by: Jay Saito. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Asia. Date: 4 September, 2021.

Cowbug treehopper, also known as a thorn mimic treehopper, adult and nymph (immatures or juveniles), Oxyrachis tarandus, subfamily Centrotinae, family Membracidae.
□ The adult cow bug treehopper (at left) has three “horns”: one to each side and one longer horn extending backward almost to the end of the wings. The nymphs (immatures) and adults suck juices from plants, and if they are large in number, can damage plants. (The other two hoppers in the photo are unidentified.)
Photographed by: Bhuvan Raj. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Date: 25 August, 2019.

Cowbug treehopper, also known as a thorn mimic treehopper, Oxyrachis tarandus, subfamily Centrotinae, family Membracidae.
□ This thorn mimic treehopper is also sometimes called an eggplant thorn bug or eggplant horned planthopper because it is frequently seen on that plant. Note: The scientific name of the cowbug treehopper was changed from Leptocentrus taurus to Oxyrachis tarandus, but is still sometimes listed under its former name.
Photographed by: Bhuvan Raj. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Date: 21 May, 2020.

Cowbug treehopper, Oxyrachis tarandus, subfamily Centrotinae, family Membracidae.
□ The cowbug treehopper is easily identifiable with its horns — a pair of them extending upwards (only one is visible in this photo) and one more that sweeps back over its body — as well as the large white patch behind each eye, and brown wings. Because of the horns, it is also sometimes called a carabao bug (a carabao is a water buffalo.
Photographed and identified by: Eric Blehaut. Nicely done, Eric! Location: Bang Krang area of Thailand. Date: 16 August, 2023.

Two-marked treehopper, Enchenopa binotata, subfamily Smiliinae, family Membracidae.
□ This is a blurred screenshot taken from a video, but the two small light-colored markings are still visible on the back of this two-marked treehopper. The adult females walk along plant stems making slits in the stems and laying eggs just below the surface, and then covering them with froth — a nice protected spot for the young to hatch.
Photographed by: Roger Koss. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Rochester, New York, USA. Date: 4 August, 2020.
Roger says, “Found this bug on my desk yesterday. Seems it fell from the ceiling, made a buzz, and caught my attention …then it got up, walked around and took off flying. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Buffalo Leafhopper (Stictocephala bisonia)

Buffalo treehopper, nymph (immature or juvenile), Stictocephala bisonia, subfamily Smiliinae, family Membracidae.
□ The humped back on this buffalo treehopper is indeed reminiscent of a buffalo! And notice that the scientific species name even has “bison” in it.
Photographed and identified by: Anonymous. Location: Adrian, Michigan, USA. Date: July, 2014.

Treehopper, nymph (immature or juvenile),in the family Membracidae.
□ This tiny nymph of a treehopper has a wide, flat head with spines on the abdomen.
Photographed and identified by: Kim Chott. Location: Sedona, Arizona, USA. Date: 1 October, 2023.
Kim says, “I think my dog brought it in. No bigger than an 1/8 of an inch (0.3 cm).”

Cicadellidae (the typical leafhoppers)

Candy-striped leafhopper, Graphocephala coccinea, subfamily Cicadellinae, family Cicadellidae.
□ With the wings outstretched on this beautiful candy-striped leafhopper, its vibrant abdomen is on display. As shown in the bottom photo, it is a tiny insect. The candy-striped leafhopper is sometimes known by other common names, such as red-banded leafhopper, scarlet-and-green leafhopper or red-and-blue leafhopper.
Photographed by: Donna Croaker Hall. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Rouge Park, Detroit, Michigan, USA. Date: 23 October, 2014.

Candy-striped leafhopper, Graphocephala coccinea, subfamily Cicadellinae, family Cicadellidae.
□ The candy-striped leafhopper typically sits like this — with its wings closed and showing off their brilliant red and teal stripes. The splashes of orange-yellow color on the pronotum (the plate-like covering over the thorax) are a colorful bonus.
Photographed by: Cheryl Ellis. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Howell, Michigan, USA. Date: July, 2019.

Orange sharpshooter, Bothrogonia addita, subfamily Cicadellinae, family Cicadellidae.
□ This intensely colored orange sharpshooter has an interesting head shape. Note also the spots on its pronotum (the plate-like covering over the thorax), and the black tips on its wings. It is found from India to southern China and south into the Indonesian islands.
Photographed by: Sony Suryawijaya. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Java Island, Indonesia. Date: 3 July, 2020.
Sony says, “The insect is approx. 2 cm (0.8 inches) in length.”

Broad-headed sharpshooter, Oncometopia orbona, subfamily Cicadellinae, family Cicadellidae.
□ This boldly colored broad-headed sharpshooter is quite large for a leafhopper: about a half inch (1.25 cm) long. The white spots on each wing are called brochosomes and are secreted by this species and other leafhoppers. The purpose of brochosomes is largely unknown, but some researchers suggest that they may repel the sticky plant sap that the leafhoppers eat and then excrete. To read more about this hypothesis, click here (Journal of the Royal Society Interface).
Photographed by: Josette Dugue. Nice job identifying the brochosome patches! Identified by: entomologist Michael Skvarla of Penn State Extension. Thank you, Dr. Skvarla! Location: Perkiomen Valley of southeastern Pennsylvania, USA. Date: 14 June, 2021.
Dr. Skvarla says that broad-headed sharpshooters can vector disease in grapes, but is not aware of diseases or damage to ornamental plants, “so they’re not generally considered pests.”

Smoketree sharpshooter, Homalodisca liturata, subfamily Cicadellinae, family Cicadellidae.
□ This smoketree sharpshooter has red veins on its wings and red patches toward the wing tips, as well as wormy lines on its head and pronotum (the plate-like covering over the thorax).
□ It is a known vector of several plant pathogens, including those that cause grape-killing Pierce’s disease and oleander-killing oleander leaf scorch.
Photographed by: Dean Herman. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Peoria, Arizona, USA. Date: 16 August, 2021.
Dean found it “hanging out on my lemon tree.”

□ Would you like a list of all the true bug families — in one handy place? We made one for you! To see it, click here.

Jikradia olitoria (no specific common name), subfamily Coelidiinae, family Cicadellidae.
□ At just a quarter-inch long (around 7 mm), Jikradia olitoria has a cap-like head, wing veins that make rectangular shapes near the wingtips, and a pointed abdomen. In 2019, researchers reported this species as helping to transmit the pathogen that causes North American Grapevine Yellows, a grapevine disease.
□ Note: It is sometimes listed under the former genus name of Coelidia. Photographed by: Tori Thompson. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Wayne, Michigan, USA. Date: 21 August, 2021.
Tori says, “He didn’t want to sit for more photos. Flew away superfast. Adorable!!!”

Four-spotted clover leafhopper, Agallia quadripunctata, subfamily Megophthalminae, family Cicadellidae.
□ The four-spotted clover leafhopper’s wings have a web of light-colored veins against a brown background.
Photographed by: Denise Rulason. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Mayville, Michigan, USA. Date: 16 June, 2018.

Nettle leafhopper, Eupteryx urticae, subfamily Typhlocybinae, family Cicadellidae.
□ Microleafhoppers in the genus Eupteryx are very difficult to tell apart. A good guess for this one, which was photographed in France, is the common nettle leafhopper.
Photographed and identified by: Eric Blehaut. Location: Lille, France. Date: 24 June, 2023.

A flat-headed leafhopper in the genus Tituria, subfamily Ledrinae, family Cicadellidae.
□ This flat-headed leafhopper has a very angled appearance with its triangular head, and a nearly triangular pronotum (the plate-like covering over the thorax) with just a touch of reddish-brown at the outer edges. It also has red eyes, and when seen in person, they really stand out on this green leafhopper.
Photographed by: Senrita Raksam Marak. Identified by: systematic entomologist Christopher H. Dietrich of the Illinois Natural History Survey. Thank you, Dr. Dietrich! Location: William Nagar, Meghalaya, India. Date: 5 October, 2019.

Eared leafhopper, Ledra aurita, subfamily Ledrinae, family Cicadellidae.
□ The eared leafhopper has a distinctive shovel-shaped head, two projections on its pronotum (the plate-like covering over the thorax) that look almost like ears (as seen in the right-side photo above), and frills on the sides of its legs (evident in the center photo). Its green-gray color helps it blend in with lichen on the sides of trees, so it usually goes unnoticed.
□ Entomologist Dr. George Poinar identified it, noting that it is “one of the most interesting and cutest of the frog hoppers.” He added that it is only known from the UK and northern Europe.
Photographed by: Hazel Cassel and Colby Mann. Identified by: entomologist George Poinar. Thank you, Dr. Poinar! Location: Hermitage, west Berkshire, UK. Date: 19 August, 2019.
Hazel says, “My son and I found this insect at our local park this morning.” She adds, “It’s been an amazing experience for us both discovering this beauty.... Colby absolutely loves discovering new things and for a mother to be learning with her child is an amazing journey.”

Eared leafhopper, Ledra aurita, subfamily Ledrinae, family Cicadellidae.
□ The green-gray color of this eared leafhopper is excellent for camouflage when it is sitting on a lichen-covered tree, and even the flaps on its pronotum (the plate-like covering over the thorax) look like little bits of lichen.
Photographed by: Samantha McKinlay, collections manager at Arundel Wetland Centre. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Arundel Wetland Centre, England. Date: 8 September, 2021.
Samantha says, “We picked it up by accident on one of our moth traps. I’ve been doing them 10 years, and we’ve no prior records here on site.”

A treehopper in the genus Osbornellus, subfamily Deltocephalinae, family Cicadellidae.
□ The photographer has captured exquisite front, dorsal and ventral views of this beautifully patterned treehopper. The photographer says this little insect was just 5 mm (0.2 inches) long.
Photographed and identified to family by: Thomas Langhans. Identified to species by: KnowYourInsects.org. See Thomas’s full-size images here, here, and here. Location: San Bruno, county of San Mateo, California, USA. Date: 4 August, 2020.
sh Thomas says, “Another bug that had no business in the kitchen!”

A leafhopper, possibly in the subfamily Typhlocybinae, family Cicadellidae.
Photographed and identified to family by: Thomas Langhans. See Thomas’s full-size images here and here. Location: San Bruno, county of San Mateo, California, USA. Date: 19 March, 2018.

A leafhopper, nymph (immature or juvenile), family Cicadellidae.
Photographed and identified to family by: Thomas Langhans. See Thomas’s full-size image here. Location: San Bruno, county of San Mateo, California, USA. Date: 10 March, 2018.
Thomas says, “Every time I try to take a picture of something, a bug shows up! It is about 3 mm (0.1 inch) long.... The legs look like the legs of the black-faced leafhoppers.”

Cercopidae (the cercopid spittlebugs and froghoppers)

A froghopper in the genus Cosmoscarta, perhaps Cosmoscarta dorsimacula, subfamily Cercopinae, family Cercopidae.
□ This spectacular froghopper is adorned with a flared pronotum (the plate-like covering over the thorax). The froghopper eats copious amounts of plant sap, absorbs the nutrients from the sap, and excretes the excess fluid as droplets (aphids do the same thing). The excretion (seen on the leaf behind the froghopper), called “honeydew,” is sweet.
Photographed by: Muhammad Amirul Zahil. Identified to genus by: Christopher H. Dietrich, Ph.D., a systematic entomologist with the Illinois Natural History Survey. Thank you, Dr. Dietrich! Location: The Habitat, Penang Hill, Malaysia. Date: 18 December, 2018.

Two-lined spittlebug, Prosapia bicincta, subfamily Ischnorhininae, family Cercopidae.
□ The two-lined spittlebug has red stripes on its forewings, although some individuals have stripes that are orange, and occasionally almost yellow. Spittlebugs typically hold their forewings closed over their backs, so the abdomen and the hindwings are hidden beneath the striped wings.
Photographed by: Jennifer Wiggins. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Date: 11 July, 2017.
Jennifer says, “Found it in my cat’s water bowl... Maybe 3/4 inch (1.7 cm)? Beautiful insect!”

Two-lined spittlebug, Prosapia bicincta, subfamily Ischnorhininae, family Cercopidae.
□ The two bands across its back are indicative of the two-lined spittlebug, although occasional individuals lack the two lines. Besides the two bands (which may be red, pinkish, or orange), this spittlebug also has red eyes, red on its head and legs, and often has an additional thin, red band across its pronotum (the plate-like covering over the thorax) and red on its scutellum (the triangular shaped structure at the rear of the thorax).
Photographed by: Marv Goldberg. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org, Location: Tamarac, Florida, USA. Date: 5 April, 2023.
Marv says, “Here’s a bug of a different stripe.”

Leptataspis fruhstorferi (no specific common name), subfamily Cercopinae, family Cercopidae.
□ This mating pair of Leptataspis fruhstorferi are quite stunning with black wings, and bright red head and pronotum (the plate-like covering over the thorax). The top-view photos show minimal veins for much of the length of the wings, but an intricate vein pattern toward the wingtips. The photo of the underside shows the large nose-like lump on the head.
Photographed by: Senrita Raksam Marak. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: William Nagar, Meghalaya, India. Date: 1 July, 2020.

A froghopper in the family Cercopidae.
□ This froghopper really does resemble a frog ... except for the wings, of course.
Photographed by: Lisa Lair. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Unknown. Date: 17 August, 2020.

Aphrophoridae (the aphrophorid froghoppers and typical spittlebugs)

Meadow spittlebug, sometimes called a common froghopper or common spittlebug, Philaenus spumarius, family Aphrophoridae.
□ The spittle part of the meadow spittlebug’s name refers to the frothy foam homes that the nymphs (immatures) make for themselves. The nymphs live within the foam until they transform into adults. Often, hikers will see many plant stems covered in small wads of foam that look very much like spit. Note: This genus was formerly listed as part of the Cercopidae family.
Photographed and identified by: Kelly McKinne (@gonzonaturalist). Location: Michigan, USA. Date: 10 August, 2012.
KnowYourInsects.org says, “Another beautiful close-up by Kelly!”

Meadow spittlebug, sometimes called a common froghopper or common spittlebug, Philaenus spumarius, family Aphrophoridae.
□ The meadow spittlebug comes in a wide range of colors and patterns. To see some of the variety, click here (BugGuide). Note: This genus was formerly listed as part of the Cercopidae family.
Photographed and identified by: Eric Blehaut. Location: Lille, France. Date: 10 June, 2023.

Meadow spittlebug, sometimes called a common froghopper or common spittlebug, Philaenus spumarius, family Aphrophoridae.
□ Meadow spittlebugs and a number of other spittlebug species spread the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa that causes a variety of diseases in plants, including coffee, blueberry and oleander, as well as in elm, maple and oak trees. Photographed and identified by: Eric Blehaut. Nicely done, Eric! Location: Lille, France. Date: 10 June, 2023.

Clastopteridae (the clastopterid spittlebugs)

Dogwood spittlebug, Clastoptera proteus, family Clastopteridae.
□ The dogwood spittlebug has a characteristic yellow swipe of color on each side, as well as three narrow, yellow bands across its head and thorax. Many individuals in this species also have a yellow-encircled black spot at the far edge of each wing, as shown here.
Photographed by: Denise Rulason. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Mayville, Michigan, USA. Date: 9 July, 2017.

Fulgoridae (the fulgorid planthoppers)

Spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula, family Fulgoridae.
□ A beautiful insect, the adult spotted lanternfly is a pest of cultivated grapes, apples, other fruits, and hardwood trees. A native of China, India and Vietnam, it was first discovered in the United States in 2014.
□ This adult spotted lanternfly looks much different than it does when it is younger (see other entries).
Photographed by: Dana Weddle. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Verified by: Dr. Julie Urban at Penn State. Location: Maple Grove Raceway, Mohnton, Pennsylvania, USA. Date: 24 September, 2017.

Spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula, family Fulgoridae.
□ This is the adult spotted lanternfly (the nymphs are posted elsewhere on this page). The photographer saw a bright red-and-white underwing pattern when it was in flight.”
Photographed by: Kelly McKinne (@gonzonaturalist). Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Exeter Township, outside of Reading, Pennsylvania, USA. Date: 12 September, 2017.
Kelly says, “These are all over my parking lot at work today.” KnowYourInsects.org says, “Yikes!”

Spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula, family Fulgoridae.
□ This adult spotted lanternfly has its wings spread to show off the vibrant red of its hindwings.
Photographed by: Molli Crowl. Submitted by: Stephanie Hardy. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Hagerstown, Maryland, USA. Date: 24 October, 2020.

Spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula, family Fulgoridae.
□ Invasive spotted lanternflies are spreading quickly in North America, and authorities in the United States and Canada are tracking their spread. To report sightings in the U.S. click here (U.S. Department of Agriculture); and in Canada, click here (government of Canada). Local authorities are also gathering information (see below).
Photographed and identified by: Lynette R. Cook. Location: Towson, Maryland, USA. Date: 23 October, 2023.
Lynette found these in her mother’s garden on porcelain berry plant (Ampelopsis glandulosa var. brevipedunculata), which is in the grape family. She said the lanternflies were up to 1.25 inches (3.2 cm) long. She reported it to the Maryland Department of Agriculture. Local gardeners and farmers thank you, Lynette!

Spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula, family Fulgoridae.
□ First spotted in the United States in Pennsylvania in 2014, invasive spotted lanternflies had spread to 15 eastern and midwestern states and into eastern Canada by 2023. See the comment below.
Photographed by: Gina La Capra. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Randolph, Morris County, New Jersey, USA. Date: 29 August, 2021.
Gina says, “I have noticed an increase of these in northwest NJ.” She also reported her sighting to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, which is tracking this insect’s spread. Nicely done, Gina!

Spotted lanternfly, nymph (immature or juvenile), Lycorma delicatula, family Fulgoridae.
□ During the first three instars (stages) of the spotted lanternfly nymph, it is black with white spots, as shown here. The fourth instar is red with black markings and white spots (as seen in the next photo).
Left photo by: Don Everett. Location: east coast of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Date: 4 July, 2020.
Right photo by: Sharon Finger. Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Date: 10 June, 2020. Both identified by: KnowYourInsects.org.
Sharon says, “It looks like a round tick from the side view and it crawls really fast...leaps far too.”

Spotted lanternfly, fourth instar nymph, Lycorma delicatula, family Fulgoridae.
□ Insects go through several stages, called instars, because they become adults. This nymph of a spotted lanternfly is at its fourth instar, and with two more molts, it will become an adult.
Photographed by: Chris Prinzivalli. Identified by: Dr. Mary Barbercheck and Dr. Julie Urban at Penn State. Location: Boyertown, Pike Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA. Date: 22 July, 2017.

Pyrops candelaria (no specific common name), family Fulgoridae.
□ Pyrops candelaria has a prominent white-spotted, red, upturned horn, and white-outlined yellow spots on green-veined forewings. Its hindwings, which are concealed under the forewings in this photo, are yellow, each with a wide black band at the tip. It feeds on plant sap.
□ Older scientific literature lists this species under the genus Fulgora: Fulgora candelaria.
Photographed by: Tony Cheng. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Maoming , Guangdong, China. Date: 4 November, 2019.
Tony says, “I saw a yellow-colored one when I was about 10 years old. That is 40 years ago. After that time, I couldn’t find it again. I thought they had become extinct. I am so happy to see them again.”

Sultan’s lantern bug, Pyrops sultana, family Fulgoridae.
□ Sultan’s lantern bug is large (see photographer’s note below.) Its long and speckled horn is very distinctive, especially when set against those green-veined, yellow-and-white spotted wings.
□ The name lantern bug comes from its horn, which is mistakenly believed to glow in the dark. The horn is brightly colored, but it does not light up.

Photographed and identified to order by: Paul Brent. Identified to species by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: near Labuan, Malaysian Borneo. Date: 30 June, 2019.
Paul says, “ I found this beauty on my ship about 10 miles offshore from Labuan, Malaysian Borneo....It was about 3-4 inches (7.6–10.1 cm) long, and flicked off the handrail to launch itself (rather than fly away).”

Hopper, nymph (immature or juvenile), possibly in the family Fulgoridae.
□ The waxy secretions on this hopper nymph (immature) have curled up into a headdress worthy of a samba festival! The waxy secretions help to slide away their waste products, which contain a lot of sugar from the plant sap they eat. Otherwise, the sugary waste would stick to their bodies and attract potentially harmful fungal or bacterial growth.
Photographed and identified to order by: Arkopal Gupta. Identified to possible family by: KnowYourInsects.org Location: Alipurduar, West Bengal, India. Date: 6 May, 2018.

Flatidae (the flatid leafhoppers)

Northern flatid planthopper, Flatormenis proxima, subfamily Flatinae, family Flatidae.
□ The big eyes and “snub-nosed” face make this northern flatid planthopper a rather adorable little creature.
Photographed by: Elizabeth Boyle. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: West Milford, New Jersey, USA. Date: 23 August, 2017.
Elizabeth says, “I spotted this lovely creature on the railing of my steps.... The color is beautiful!”

Ormenoides venusta (no specific common name), subfamily Flatinae, family Flatidae.
□ Ormenoides venusta has just the vaguest hint of orange at the edges of its wings. Click on the photos to zoom and see the slight orange tinge in the planthopper at right.
Photographed by: J. Graham. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Noble County, Indiana, USA. Date: 9 August, 2019.

A flatid planthopper in the genus Siphanta, subfamily Flatinae, family Flatidae.
□ This flatid planthopper has forewings with a sharp upsweep, a tiny black spot, and mottling with soft white spots.
Photographed and identified as a planthopper by: Isabella Summers. Identified to genus by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Warrawee, New South Wales, Australia. Date: 2 December, 2019.

A flatid planthopper, nymph (immature or juvenile), in the family Flatidae.
□ The waxy secretions from the rear end of this hopper nymph (immature) look almost like two fuzzy, white tails. Just as Play-Doh modeling clay has different extruders to make various shapes, different species of hoppers have extruders that create either ribbons or tubes of wax. This one makes two tubes of wax, as shown.
Photographed by: Arkopal Gupta. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org Location: Alipurduar, West Bengal, India. Date: 6 July, 2019.

A flatid planthopper, nymph (immature or juvenile), possibly in the family Flatidae.
□ The photographer captured video of this little hopper nymph quickly walking across a breakfast table (this is a screenshot from that video). This nymph has secreted quite a collection of waxy ribbons! The wax in hoppers has several protective functions, including keeping the planthopper from drying out in arid conditions, repelling water in rainy areas, and funneling waste products away from the body.
Photographed by: Isabelle Crittin. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org Location: Ipoh, Malaysia. Date: 3 December, 2021.
Isabelle described it as a “paper ornament bug.” It is an apt description :-)

Acanaloniidae (acanaloniid planthoppers)
Ricaniidae (the ricaniid planthoppers)

Green coneheaded planthopper, Acanalonia conica, family Acanaloniidae.
□ The green coneheaded planthopper sticks its beak-like mouthparts into plants like wild grape (in the genus Vitis), goldenrod (in the genus Solidago) and milkweed (in the genus Asclepias), which are very common in far southeastern Michigan where this photo was taken. They will also munch on some crop plants grown in the region.
Photographed by: Megan Rabideau. Spotted by Megan’s 4-year-old son Nolan. Good job, Nolan! Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: far southeastern Michigan near the Ohio border, USA. Date: 23 August, 2017.
Megan says Nolan is “happy to know more about his ‘new buggy friend.’”

Green coneheaded planthopper, Acanalonia conica, family Acanaloniidae.
□ The gorgeous lime-green color is perfect for keeping the green coneheaded planthopper hidden along plant leaves. Both the “coneheaded” and “hopper” parts of its name are fitting — its head looks like the bottom of an ice cream cone, and this little insect hops from leaf to leaf. It is a tiny insect, reaching only about a quarter of an inch (6 mm) long.
Photographed and identified to superfamily by: Victor Leverenz. Identified to species by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Dryden, Michigan, USA. Date: 31 August, 2019.
Victor says, “This seems to be a leafhopper or planthopper. Anyway, it looks like a leaf-mimic to me.” KnowYourInsects.org says, “ Right you are on both counts: It is a planthopper that is a good approximation of a leaf!”

A ricaniid planthopper in the genus Ricania, subfamily Ricaniinae, family Ricaniidae.
□ The very unusual-looking ricaniid planthoppers in this family (Ricaniidae) have spectacular butterfly-like wings that flare out to the sides. The head, however, gives away its identity as a planthopper.
□ Some members of this genus are polyphagous, which means they eat a wide variety of plants. One of the best-known species in this genus is the Asian planthopper (Ricania speculum), which is considered a pest of garden and crop plants, and is now spreading from its native southeastern Asia into Europe.
Photographed by: Rituparna Banik. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Maharaja Bir Bikram College, Agartala, Tripura, India. Date: 12 April, 2017.

Issidae (the issid planthoppers)

Issus coleoptratus (no specific common name), subfamily Issinae, family Issidae.
□ In 2013, scientists reported a very unusual means of transportation in Issus coleoptratus: its nymphs (immatures) jumped via interlocking gears on the hind-leg trochanter, which is the small section of the leg just above the femur. The report says, the gears “act together to cock the legs synchronously before triggering forward jumps.” For more on the jumping gears, click here (Smithsonian magazine), or click here (the journal Science).
□ Issus coleoptratus safely eats the sap of ivy plants that contain the poisonous substance called saponins. For more on this ability, click here (the journal Biology Open).
Photographed and identified by: Eric Blehaut. Great job on the ID, Eric! Location: Lille, France. Date: 8 June, 2023.

An issid planthopper likely in the genus Issus, nymph (immature or juvenile), subfamily Issinae, family Issidae.
□ The tufts extending from the rear end of this planthopper are actually waxy filaments that the planthoppers are able to produce. The filaments can become quite large and bushy, and help to funnel their sugary waste away from the body. They may also help hide them from potential predators.
Photographed by: Wim Ridder. Identified to genus by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Kockengen, the Netherlands. Date: 27 May, 2015.
Wim says, “This small insect (3mm) jumped on my book, in my garden, at 15.44 h. People of the Dutch organisation Waarneming.nl wrote me that it probably is a specimen (nymph) of Auchenorrhyncha. Photos on your site show me that they may be right.”

An issid planthopper likely in the genus Issus, nymph (immature or juvenile), subfamily Issinae, family Issidae.
□ This immature planthopper has a quite intricate pattern of dark markings on its pronotum (the plate-like covering over the thorax) and abdomen, and it has produced a neat little tuft of waxy filaments at its rear end.
Photographed by: Alessio Zagaria. Identified to genus by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: London, England, UK. Date: 6 May, 2020.
Alessio found it in the back garden.”

Thabena brunnifrons (no specific common name), subfamily Hemisphaeriinae, family Issidae.
□ Thabena brunnifrons is fairly new to Taiwan, where this photo was taken. It may have arrived in the early 2000s. By the 2010s, it had already become quite widespread. To learn more, click here (Research Report Taiwan Insects).
Photographed and identified by: Eric Blehaut. Nice ID, Eric! Location: Mueang Nonthaburi, Bang Krang, Thailand. Date: 7 July, 2023.

Tropiduchidae (the tropiduchid planthoppers)

A tropiduchid planthopper, possibly a grainy planthopper, Kallitaxila granulata, subfamily Tropiduchinae, family Tropiduchidae.
□ This lime-green tropiduchid planthopper has rounded wings that fan out from the body, giving the silhouette a rather heart-shaped appearance. Its wings have tiny, (seen here in one of the wings).
□ It might be a grainy planthopper (Kallitaxila granulata), but see the comment below. The grainy planthopper is native to southeastern Asia, but has made its way to Hawaii, where this photo was taken.
Photographed by: Christian Moratin. Identified to family by: systematic entomologist Christopher H. Dietrich of the Illinois Natural History Survey. Thank you, Dr. Dietrich! Identified to tentative species by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Heeia, Oahu, Hawaii. Date: 26 May, 2020.
Dr. Dietrich says, “There are several tropical genera with this same general appearance.”

Eurybrachidae (the eurybrachid planthoppers)
Cixiidae (the cixiid planthoppers)

Dardus Wattle Hopper nymph (Dardus abbreviatus)

Dardus wattle hopper, nymph (immature or juvenile), Dardus abbreviatus, subfamily Platybrachinae, family Eurybrachidae.
□ Although only one of its waxy terminal filaments (its “tails”) is visible in this photo, this nymph of a dardus wattle hopper actually has two. Both the adult and the nymph have a tiny horn protruding under each eye (one can be seen in this photo). They are often found on acacia trees.
□ To see a photo of the adult, which has a red belly, click here (JungleDragon).

Photographed by: Paula Fragar. Identified to genus by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia. Date: 1 March, 2020.

Eurybrachis tomentosa (no specific common name), subfamily Eurybrachyinae, family Eurybrachidae.
□ With an ivory and deep-green pattern, Eurybrachis tomentosa is a show-stopper. When it sits still on a moss-covered branch, however, the pattern provides excellent camouflage, and it nearly disappears into the background. It has a red pronotum (the plate-like covering over the thorax), but much of it is often hidden beneath its wings.
Photographed by: Bhuvan Raj. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Date: 23 February, 2020.

A cixiid planthopper in the genus Bothriocera, quite possibly Bothriocera cognita, subfamily Bothriocerinae, family Cixiidae.
□ With its patterned wings, this cixiid plant hopper looks almost like a small moth.
Photographed by: Marv Goldberg. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: near Tamarac, Florida, USA. Date: 8 June, 2022.

A cixiid planthopper, family Cixiidae.
□ This planthopper has numerous, small bristles arising from the veins on its wings.
Photographed by: Hassan Ahmed Maghrabi. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: India. Date: 23 November, 2021.

Delphacidae (the delphacid planthoppers)

Taro planthopper (Tarophagus colocasiae)

Taro planthopper, nymph (immature or juvenile) and adult, Tarophagus colocasiae, subfamily Delphacinae, family Delphacidae.
□ The photographer spotted this nymph (left) and adult taro planthopper on taro (Colocasia esculenta) — often, the plant is very helpful in identification! See the comments below. Older nymphs (as shown here) have a mottled pattern on the back.
□ To learn more about these insects and see additional photos, click here (University of Florida “Featured Creatures”).
Photographed by: Christian Moratin. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Kapolei, Hawaii. Date: 29 April, 2021.
Christian says, “I found these at the base of taro plants (a staple crop here in Hawaii).... It was cool to watch it move: instead of turning its head left and then moving like how most insects do, this insect kept its head straight and moved much like a spider or a crab.”

Taro planthopper, Tarophagus colocasiae, subfamily Delphacinae, family Delphacidae.
□ Taro planthoppers are a new addition to Florida, where this photo was taken. They were first discovered in June 2015 at a garden center in Winter Haven, Florida, and have since spread into other counties in the state. For more about this discovery and additional information about this insect, click here (Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services).
Photographed by: Marv Goldberg. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: near Tamarac, Florida, USA. Date: 8 April, 2022.

Within the family Delphacidae, nymphs (immatures or juveniles) cannot fly, but depending on their stage, they may have tiny nubs of wings called “wing buds.” Adults have two forms: Some have long wings and are able to fly, but others are brachypterous, which means they have truncated wings (somewhat similar to nymphs) and cannot fly. To see the brachypterous adult, click here (BugGuide).

Unknown Hoppers

Unknown hopper nymph.
□ This nymph is one of the hoppers, but KnowYourInsects.org cannot identify which family from this photo. It shows the waxy tuft that is common to several families of hoppers.
Photographed by: Nikki Donahue. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Tampa, Florida, USA. Date: 25 April, 2018.
Nikki says, “Found this tiny guy on my couch.”

Unknown hopper nymph.
□ This nymph is one of the hoppers, but KnowYourInsects.org cannot identify which family from this photo. Several families of hoppers have the waxy tuft seen in this photo.
Photographed by: Stephanie Donnelly Holden. Submitted by: Stephanie’s mother. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Oxford, Massachusetts, USA. Date: 25 July, 2018.

Aphalaridae (aphalarid jumping plant-lice)

A jumping plant-louse, probably in the genus Pachypsylla, subfamily Pachypsyllinae, family Aphalaridae.
□ The jumping plant-louse has a tiny size and it can leap, causing some people to mistake them for fleas. (Jumping plant-lice are not related to human lice.)
Photographed by: Tracey Finkbeiner. Identified by: Christopher H. Dietrich, Ph.D., a systematic entomologist with the Illinois Natural History Survey. Location: East Providence, Rhode Island, Michigan, USA. Date: 5 November, 2017.
Tracey provided this description: “It looks like a miniature cicada. It has membranous wings and is wedge-shaped. They don’t seem to fly, just jump. They are smaller than the tip of a ball-point pen.”

A hackberry psyllid in the genus Pachypsylla, subfamily Pachypsyllinae, family Aphalaridae.
□ The tiny hackberry psyllid is also known as a jumping plant-louse (no relation to human lice). These insects trigger common hackberry trees (Celtis occidentalis) to grow small roung lumps, called galls, on their leaves. Galls are rather like benign tumors in that they are an overgrowth of plant tissue: The female psyllid lays an egg on a leaf and injects a little fluid in the process, and this triggers the plant to form the gall. To see examples, click here or click here (BugGuide). The gall serves as a great spot for the soon-to-hatch larva to find shelter and food (usually the gall tissue is quite nutrient-rich) until it can eventually become an adult and head off on its own. See the comment below.
Photographed by: Eddie Kytia. Identified by: systematic entomologist Christopher H. Dietrich of the Illinois Natural History Survey. Thank you, Dr. Dietrich! Location: Sayreville, New Jersey, USA. Date: 21 October, 2020.
Eddie says, “They are literally about 1-3 mm long, and for the last two or three years they have been bad! All over my window and balcony door screens. Soon as I open a window or balcony door, they are all over the curtains. They are so small I thought they were fleas because to the eye they look black and ... they jump like a flea.”

Psyllidae (the psyllids or jumping plant-lice)

A jumping plant-louse, quite possibly an acacia psyllid in the genus Acizzia, family Psyllidae.
□ As wonderfully described by identifier and biologist Emilie Bess, jumping plant-lice or psyllids, such as this one, differ from the similar-looking psocids in their means of locomotion and body shape. She says, “My best tool for distinguishing them in the field is simply to see if they jump away when approached — psyllids jump, psocids don’t. Up close, the psyllid has a triangular body shape that resembles a cicada, whereas psocids have three very distinct body segments like a Cootie bug toy.“
□ This is tentatively identified as an acacia psyllid, but to be certain would require a look at the male genitalia.
Photographed by: Thomas Langhans. See his full-size photo (plus additional views), here and here. Identified to tentative species by: biologist (and artist) Emilie Bess. Thank you, Dr. Bess! Location: San Bruno, county of San Mateo, California, USA. Date: 7 May, 2021.
Thomas says it is “about 2 mm (0.08 inches) from the face to the end of the wings.”

Aphidae (the aphids)

Milkweed aphids, also known as oleander aphids, Aphis nerii, subfamily Eriosomatinae, family Aphididae.
□ These photos show both winged and wingless milkweed aphids on a milkweed plant (in the genus Asclepias). The aphids’ bodies are orange except for the black legs and short, black, tube-like cornicles extending from either side of the rear of the abdomen.
Photographed by: Denise Devynck. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Utah Valley Permaculture Classroom Gardens and Greenhouse, USA. Date: 4 September, 2020.

Woolly aphids in the subfamily Eriosomatinae, family Aphididae.
□ Woolly aphids are sometimes called fairyflies or angelflies, and with the cottony white covering, it is easy to see why! Actually, the “cotton” is a collection of wax filaments.
Photographed by: Janvier Petto. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: northeastern Pennsylvania, USA. Date: 19 July, 2017.
Janvier says, “They were all over hostas and no more than 1/2" (1.25 cm) long if that.”

Aphids suck up lots of sweet plant juices and their waste products are also sweet. In fact, their waste products are called honeydew. Ants are often found with aphids: the ants eat the honeydew, while also protecting the aphids by biting and/or stinging potential predators.

Unlike typical insects that lay eggs, most aphid females have live births. In addition, most aphid females need no males to reproduce, and can have dozens of broods per year.

Dark-tailed thistle aphid, Uroleucon aeneum, subfamily Aphidinae, family Aphidae.
□ With aphids, the plant on which it is found can help identify the species. This dark-tailed thistle aphid was found on a thistle plant.
Photographed by: Eric Eddles. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org, Location: Baffins Pond, Portsmouth, England, UK. Date: 15 May, 2023.
Eric found this little insect in his yard.

Bird cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi, subfamily Aphidinae, family Aphidinae.
□ The bird cherry-oat aphid has a characteristic broken-banded pattern on the abdomen. This aphid particularly likes the leaves of European bird cherry (Prunus padus), which is where it gets its common name, but in the spring, it can also be found in grains, such as oats and wheat, where it can become a pest.
Photographed by: Diana Luntena. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Riga, Latvia. Date: 7 July, 2023.
Diana says, “The body is slightly elongated and oval-ish in shape (I’d even say almond-like). In person, appears to be black with very dark gray stripes.”

Giant bark aphids, Longistigma caryae, subfamily Lachininae, family Aphididae.
□ Giant bark aphids are called “giant” because they are large for aphids, with the larger ones reaching about a quarter inch long (0.6 cm). They infest a variety of trees, including oak (Quercus), elm (Ulmus), maple (Acer), basswood (Tilia americana), birch (Betula), beech (Fagus), walnut (Juglans) and others.
Photographed by: Erin Alexis Randolph. Submitted by: Elaine Randolph (Erin’s mother). Nicely done, Randolph tag team! Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Date: 30 May, 2022.

Giant willow aphid, Tuberolachnus salignus, subfamily Lachininae, family Aphididae.
□ The giant willow aphid is a pretty aphid in gray with black spots. This photo shows the characteristic small, black, horn-shaped tubercle on its back.
Photographed by: Eric Eddles. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK. Date: 1 July, 2022.

Aphids can secrete copious amounts of honeydew, which is the sugary waste product that results from eating plant sap. Quantities of honeydew from giant willow aphids (Tuberolachnus salignus) will draw sweet-loving insects, including late-summer yellowjackets (certain wasps in the family Vespidae).

Aphids (Aphididae) and Seven-Spot Ladybug

Aphids, family Aphididae.
□ Ladybug larvae are major predators of aphids. In this photo, the larva of a seven-spot ladybug/ladybird beetle (Coccinella septempunctata) is dining on a few aphids. Aphids can become pests on plants, so gardeners sometimes purchase ladybug eggs or larvae to reduce aphid populations.
□ The closeup of an aphid shows the cornicles, which are the small tubes that extend from the end of the abdomen. The cornicles secrete fluid that is distasteful to many of an aphid’s predators, so it serves a protective function.
Photographed by: Thomas Langhans. See Thomas’s full-size image here. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: San Bruno, county of San Mateo, California, USA. Date: 12 March, 2018.

Aphids, family Aphididae.
□ Ants are frequently seen congregating among aphids so they can eat the sweet honeydew that the aphids excrete.
. Photographed by: Milosh Rankovic. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Ontario, Canada. Date: 12 October, 2016.
Milosh says, “They are gathering in the corner of the outside wall and garden door. Looks to me, they are looking for some warmer place.... Temperatures are getting colder — about about 5°C (41°F) — during the night.”

An aphid, family Aphidae.
□ Some species of aphids, like the one shown here, have wings, while others are wingless. All have two short “tails,” known as cornicles.
Photographed by: Daisy Rulz. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Mayville, Michigan, USA. Date: 24 September, 2017.

An aphid, family Aphidae.
□ This aphid has especially long cornicles (the two straight structures extending from either side of its rear end).
Photographed by: Matt Darch. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Date: 15 October, 2020.
Matt found this aphid on a pillowcase, and snapped the photo with his cellphone and a snap-on magnifier. Nicely done, Matt!

Aphids, family Aphididae.
□ Some spectacular macro photography led to these two close-ups of aphids.
Photographed by: Thomas Langhans. See Thomas’s full-size images here and here. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: San Bruno, county of San Mateo, California, USA. Date: 30 March, 2018.

An aphid, family Aphididae.
□ Aphids come is several shapes, but one feature they all share is the two tiny projections, or cornicles, toward the rear of the abdomen.
Photographed by: Matt Dudley. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: San Francisco, California, USA. Date: 30 December, 2019.
Matt found a a large number of these aphids on his house one day.

Aphids, family Aphididae.
□ Although many aphids are wingless, some have wings, as shown here. See the photographer’s excellent description below. The body length on the aphids in this photo is about 2 mm (0.08 inches). Both photos show the underside of the aphid.
Photographed by: Thomas Langhans. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. See Thomas’s full-size images here and here. Location: San Bruno, county of San Mateo, California, USA. Date: 17 March, 2018.
Thomas says, “I was watching them with a stereo microscope. They get ready to fly by rotating the wings forward, straight up, then spreading them apart about 45° on each side, then taking off. There is a slight pause at each position. Kind of neat.”

Aphids, family Aphididae.
□ This photo shows both winged and wingless aphids.
Photographed by: Teodor Ion. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Bucharest, Romania. Date: 21 December, 2019.

Aleyrodidae (the whiteflies)
Monophlebidae (the giant scale insects)

Greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum, subfamily Aleyrodinae, family Aleyrodidae.
□ This greenhouse whitefly was photographed — appropriately — in a greenhouse at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Uvalde. It was on a watermelon plant. Check out the comment below about how the photographer snapped such a great closeup of this tiny insect.
Photographed and identified by: Manzeal Khanal. Nice job, Manzeal! Location: Uvalde, Texas, USA. Date: 17 October, 2019.
Manzeal says, “It is magnified using a microscope, and I used a mobile phone on top of the eyepiece to capture the image.”

Cottony cushion scale, female, Icerya purchasi, family Monophlebidae.
□ The female cottony cushion scale, shown here, has a brownish-orange body, but she is nearly covered by her white, ridged egg sac that can contain up to 800 eggs. A female with an egg sac can be a half inch (1.2 cm) long. These insects release a great deal of a sweet liquid known as honeydew, which attracts ants (as seen here). For more information about these insects, click here (University of California).
Photographed by: Carlo Castoro. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: St. Thomas, U. S. Virgin Islands. Date: 17 November, 2019.

Giant mealy bugs in the genus Monophlebulus, family Monophlebidae.
□ These adult giant mealy bugs have a blue-gray background with orange markings. The larvae look similar to the adults, but secrete a waxy substance that covers their bodies in white, and for that reason, they are sometimes called snowball mealy bugs. To see photos of the wax-covered larvae, click here (Brisbane Insects and Spiders website).
Photographed by: Charmain VanDerVeen. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Metford, Hunter, Australia. Date: 8 October, 2021.
Charmain says, “I found these bugs in my sandpit which is under a juniper tree.”

Coccidae (the soft scale insects)

Calico scale insect, Eulecanium cerasorum, family Coccidae.
□ Calico scale insects are usually seen on the sides of certain trees, including maples (Acer), elms (Ulmus), dogwoods (Cornus), and a variety of stone fruits (e.g., plums, cherries, peaches, and nectarines). They produce a sticky substance, called honeydew, which is a breeding ground for a black fungus known as sooty mold fungi. This fungus can result in damage to trees. For more information about these insects, click here (Michigan State University Extension).
Photographed by: Brian Carpenter. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Washington, USA. Date: 20 May, 2017.
Brian says, “My family member in Washington state has found these all over her walnut tree (in the genus Juglans).”

Calico scale insects, Eulecanium cerasorum, family Coccidae.
□ Calico scale insects were introduced into San Francisco, California, about a century ago, and have spread through the western United States. More recently, they have also moved into a few eastern states, with the first reports in Michigan (where this photo was taken) coming from the far southern part of the state in 2007.
Photographed by: Lynn Gorgas. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Allen Park, Michigan, USA. Date: 15 May, 2018.
Lynn found these on her Japanese (Acer palmatum).

Barnacle scale insect (Ceroplastes cirripediformis)

Barnacle scale insects, Ceroplastes cirripediformis, family Coccidae.
□ Barnacle scale insects live in aggregations on stems, as shown in the bottom photo. The insects often become infested with parasitoid wasps — the wasps lay eggs in the soft bodies of the barnacle scale insects, the eggs hatch inside and when they mature, tiny wasps fly out of the scale insects.
Photographed by: K J Westman. Identified by: KnowYourInsects.org. Location: Sri Landa. Date: 25 August, 2018.
K J says, “They are very symmetric and will, in some places, totally cover the stem they are living on.”

Soft scale insects in the family Coccidae.
□ This soft scale insect is about half the size of the fingernail on a pinky finger. Dr. Allen Smith-Pardo, who identified it, said the genus can be determined only with a closer look at the specimen itself.
Photographed by: Wasana Niyomdecha. Identified by: USDA entomologist Allen Smith-Pardo. Thank you Dr. Smith-Pardo! Location: Hatyai, Thailand. Date: 2019.
Wasana says, “I took photos of this little guy when I was having lunch at one local kitchen in Hatyai, Thailand.”

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