Categories » Hoppers, Aphids, Cicadas & Kin

Order: Hemiptera, suborder Auchenorrhyncha (Cicadas, leafhoppers, sharpshooters, treehopper, panthoppers, spittlebugs and the like) and suborder Sternorrhyncha (aphids, mealybugs, white flies, scale insects and the like). Hemiptera is derived from the Greek "hetero-" meaning different and "ptera" meaning wings, refers to the fact that the texture of the front wings is different near the base (leathery) than at the apex (membranous). Many of these bugs secrete a sweet liquid waste called honeydew, the "manna from heaven" of the Bible. Ants often tend these insects protecting them from predators and parasites inexchange for the honeydew like mini cattle ranchers.

For sub order Heteroptera ("original" true bugs including stink bugs, squash bugs, water bugs and assassin bugs) which is also under the order Hemiptera, click here.

Hoppers:

Leafhoppers: Family Cicadellidae, distinguished by rows of spines on shin. Can jump over 4ox its body length! Includes Sharpshooters.	Planthoppers: Part of the superfamily Fulgoroidea. Less common than leafhoppers with fewer spines on hind legs but funnier shaped heads.	Spittlebugs Family Cercopidae, make those spit-like masses during nymph stage. Adults also called froghoppers for their funny visages.
Treehoppers: Family Membracidae, awesome mimics barely recognizeable as animal let alone an insect, looking like thorns or plant bumps.	Nymphs: These tiny titans are a particular favorite of mine, not sure what most look like as an adult but nonetheless...just look!	ID Me!

Aphids:

Oleander Aphids Commonly found on Milkweed, color indicated ewe, don't eat me.	Pea Aphids One of the most studied insects as a pest. Found these on my pumpkin plants, so perhaps not ID'd properly, feel free to correct.	Rosy Apple Aphids Oh dear, more pests, for orchard trees.
ID ME!: A bunch of black ones, but a few green tossed in, in case I labeled them Pea Aphids by mistake.

Cicadas:

Exoskeletons: I cannot believe I do not have a decent adult cicada photo yet. Took a blurry one on my iphone one night, so not worthy.

*Excerpted from Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America