Lacehopper, Cixius sp.?

[Gerel]

Hi,

I spotted these hoppers on a Forsythia in the garden yesterday. I think that they are probably C. cunicularius but am a bit thrown by the pale eyes and the creamy yellow colouring on the head and thorax. Could it be that they are teneral?



regards

Steve

[Acutipuerilis]

Spot on, Steve, and it's a nice find!
I'm pretty sure the pale-looking colouring is simply waxy secretions (especially on the face) and reflections from hairs.

[Gerel]

Cheers Joe,

We seem to have a fairly healthy population here, this isn't the first time I've found them in the garden. Never with these secretions before though.


Do you know what the nymphs are like? The same plant has quite a few "bubble nests" that I had assumed were Philaenus but finding these two has got me wondering.

All the best

Steve

ps. in a completely different area, from your username I worked out that you have worked in palaeo. I picked up a stone recently that I think is a stromatolite, would you object if I picked your brain on that?

[Acutipuerilis]

Hi Steve,
The nymphs of cixiids tend to lurk under stones and in the roots of plants; they look a little like Issus nymphs, but more elongate and a bit less bobbly! The bubbly things will certainly be froghoppers, but could be one of the other species if on grass - e.g. Neophilaenus lineatus.
Fossils are indeed my main "hobby" (and what I'm trained in) - I slot in the insects when I find spare spare time! Happy to look at your possible stromatolite - where was it from?
Joe