invasive moth in Turkey?
Wow, what a great site! I am a biology teacher and I am not even sure this is a moth!?! It is a recent addition to the eastern Black Sea region of Turkey (between Rize and Hoppa). The locals call it a ‘Kiwi moth’ because it showed up about 6 years ago - around the same time kiwi plants were brought in for production. I took pictures of the larva and the adult. The adult is about 3 cm long and 4 cm wide with transparent bands on the wings. The larva is 1 cm or so not including the ‘tail’. Thank you for any help you can give!
Kim Hitchcock

Hi Kim,
We are going to try your research skills and charge you with completing our research and arriving at a positive identification, then writing us back with the answer. This is some species of Planthopper in the family Ricaniidae. According to Wikipedia, the family Ricaniidae contains: “over 40 genera and 400 species world-wide. Thus, they are one of the smaller families in the planthopper superfamily (Fulgoroidea). The highest diversity is in tropical Africa and Asia and in Australia , with a few species occurring the Palearctic.” It is likely that the species in your photos was introduced with the Kiwi since they appeared at the same time and since the family is well represented in Australia, hence probably New Zealand, though the original Kiwi vines may have originated elsewhere. Your insect most closely (though not exactly in our minds) resembles the Passionvine Hopper, Scolypopa australis, and we have found a page with images of the Passionvine Hopper on kiwi in New Zealand. The resemblance of your insect is quite close, so we would suspect it is perhaps in the same genus. It is also possible that through isolation from the main population, the appearance of the Turkish population has already begun to change, an example of evolution in process. We also located a site of Australian Ricaniidae species with some images. A Bonsaii for Beginners webpage pictures the nymphs of the Passionvine Hopper, and they also look very close to the image you have provided. On a humorous note, the New Zealand Plant Doctor website refers to the nymphs as Fluffy Bums.

please help with identification (san francisco, ca)
hello,
i have found several of these on my chili pepper plants which had recently been infested with aphids. they have the same shape as a scale, but look more complex. can you please tell me what this is? thanks! by the way, i am from san francisco, california.
rachael

Hi Rachael,
This has turned out to be quite a day for us striking out in the instant gratification of insect identifications, as yours is the third inconclusive submission. We are confident that this is a Hemipteran, but after the order, we are not so sure. The closest visual match we can make is an Ensign Coccid, which BugGuide classifies as Suborder Sternorrhyncha - Plant-parasitic Hemipterans, Superfamily Coccoidea - Scales and Mealybugs, and Family Ortheziidae - Ensign Coccids. We also entertain the possibility that your insect may be a True Bug in the suborder Heteroptera. There are numerous images on BugGuide, but we suspect, due to the not quite developed wings, that this is a nymph, and nymphs are sometimes very difficult to properly identify. We will contact Eric Eaton who is experiencing computer problems, so we don’t expect a speedy response. Meanwhile, we will post your photos and see if any of our readers has an answer.

Update from Eric Eaton (08/04/2008)
Hi, Daniel:
The unknown hemipteran is definitely a nymph, and possibly that of a psyllid (family Psyllidae). I know they can be extremely flattened in at least some cases, in sharp contrast to the much more three-dimensional adults. Whiteflies are another possibility, but I’m fairly certain these are not scale insects of any kind. I know that doesn’t clarify much, sorry:-)
Eric

Salvadoran moths
Dear bugman,
I just got home from a week-long trip to a rural mountain clinic in eastern El Salvador. I lived there for almost a year & never saw this insect before. It sure looks like 2 mating moths (please see attached pictures). We are all wondering what it is. They were about 5 inches long. Thanks for your help,
Ali Hunt

Hi Ali,
Your letter and photo could not have come at a more fortuitous time. These are mating Lanternflies, Fulgora laternaria. They are Fulgorid Planthoppers and not Moths. There is a famous illustration by the 17th Century Artist Maria Sibylla Merian of this species that she drew in Surinam in 1700 and it is included in the show of her work currently on display at the Getty. What’s That Bug? has been asked to deliver a point of view lecture on the show and we will be using your photo and letter as a visual aid during our lecture. According to Wikipedia: “In several countries, such as Ecuador ,Colombia and Venezuela , there exists the myth that if somebody is bitten by the machaca , he or she must have sex within 24 hours to prevent an otherwise incurable death. The insect is actually harmless to people.”

Because of its appearance, the Lanternfly is also called a Peanut Head Bug or Alligator Bug, according to the Clemson Museum page devoted to it. The Lanternfly has eyespots on its lower wings, partially visible in another of your photos, that will startle any potential predators, a form of protective mimicry. The Lanternfly is also believe to mimic a lizard and this second photo shows this quite well. This insect is called a Lanternfly because it was once thought to be bioluminescent, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Update: (07/05/2008)
Dear Daniel,
Wow, thanks! I am glad you will be able to use the photos. If you are interested in the more exact location, it was taken in Los Abelines, El Salvador. The closest marked town on google maps is El Cirigual, El Salvador. If you do a google map search you will find it! Have a wonderful time at the lecture.
Ali Hunt

cecropia and others
Hi! A couple of years ago I sent you pictures of my Cecropia project — I raised a bunch of caterpillars and was rewarded with beautiful moths the next spring. Last year I was fortunate enough to get more caterpillars, and I wanted to share some images of the moths. Very serendipitously, as you’ve made them your bug of the month for July. For your bug love page, here’s images of Red Milkweed Beetles (Tetraopes tetraophthalmus) and Scarlet and Green Leafhoppers (Graphocephala coccinea) — one with the two leafhoppers getting advice from the beetle! I’ve included a pic of a Nessus Sphinx (Amphion floridensis) that I took last year in my back yard. According to the folks at Butterflies and Moths of North America ( http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org ) it’s a first report from MN, so that’s pretty exciting. I know it’s not a great pic but I thought you might like to see it Lastly is a pic of what I think is Labidomera clivicollis, Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle. What do you think? Thanks as always for a great site
henry

hi Henry,
While we applaud your enthusiasm and are impressed with the volume if imagery you sent our way, we have to limit our postings. We are thrilled to post your mating Candystriped Leafhoppers and a cropped version of the three Cecropia Moths on your window screen, awaiting an opportunity to venture into the night.

Some bugs from Sabah
Hi
Another delighted newcomer to your site! I took these photos in Sabah, Borneo in Feb this year and from going through your site I think they might be a lanternfly and a snakefly, but it would be good if you knew the species.
Amanda, England

Hi Amanda,
Your Lanternfly from the family Fulgoridae is positively stunning. If we are able (since we have time constraints right now) we will also post your photo of a Dobsonfly. We will try to find out the species, but we don’t think this will be possible without hours and hours of research, and that is time we do not have. Exact Internet identification research is often very difficult for parts of the tropical world.

Insect ID
Can you help us ID this insect? We found it in our driveway in Ormond Beach, FL. We live about 8 miles from the beach in a neighborhood with lots of live oak trees. We’ve done lots of looking on "bug websites" with no luck. Thanks in advance for your help.
Laura Pugliese

Hi Laura,
This is an Oak Treehopper, Platycotis vittata. This was a new species for our site yesterday when we identified a group of nymphs sent from California. Your photo depicts the winged adult.