Categories

A fairy in the woods? What on earth…
Greetings,
I am a Peace Corp volunteer in Honduras and while wondering through the woods near my site a couple of weeks ago I thought I found the secret enchanted forests where fairies lived! Seriously though I have never seen anything like this. At first my partner and I beleived it was some type of bird, but up close you can see its wings and everything. It flys very slow, almost like floating in the air. I looked a little bit through your guyses catalog of bugs I have no idea where to even begin when looking up this beast. The only thing I have an idea of is that it flys, and looks incredibly soft like little feathers come out of it. It is an amazing animal. Any help on the name so I can do some research on this bad boy would be wonderful! Thanks.
Cliff Rosson

Hi Cliff,
Your letter is the third request we have received in the last month to identify Cerogenes auricoma, a Fulgorid Planthopper. We got the answer through Eric Eaton whot wrote: “thanks to the world authority, Lois O’Brien. She says it is Cerogenes auricoma. No common name, but the Latin translates to “wax producer with golden hair.” Seems appropriate. Apparently the native Indians use the yellow wax on the head and thorax of this insect to make a dye.”

Related Posts

1. Fulgorid Planthoppers from Honduras (July 23, 2007)
2. IDENTIFIED: Unknown [probably] Fulgorid Planthopper from Belize (July 14, 2007)
3. Homopteran, possibly immature Fulgorid Planthopper (December 1, 2008)
4. Possibly Fulgorid Planthopper Nymphs (December 30, 2008)
5. Seagrape Sawfly from Honduras (November 5, 2009)