Entylia carinata – Treehopper

Several of these hoppers were on this plant, tended by ants.  (August 23, 2009)

The carpenter ant was watching over this bug. I was excited to find this; first, because of the cool hopper; second, because of the ant’s behavior, and third, because it had eggs.

This one was an inch behind it on the same leaf vein, also tended by the same ant:

I went back to see the hoppers – this is the same one, now with a buddy keeping it company.

I did go back a couple weeks ago and collect these hoppers, and they’ve been hanging out in a little container with their ragweed leaf, which finally gave up the ghost two days ago. Yesterday I moved them to a bigger container with fresh plant matter in it.

The nymphs hatched!

Photos and words by Ashley Bradford, August 2009
Edited by Marcie O’Connor