We're reaching into the archives for today's #BenInNature update presented by our friends at ...

September 26, 2021

We're reaching into the archives for today's #BenInNature update presented by our friends at Carter Bank & Trust! The following post was originally published on August 10, 2020.

Back in May (2020), we looked at spittlebugs, which are the tiny little insect nymphs that hide inside a protective barrier of foam on the stems of plants (you can see an example of a spittlebug in the second picture). If you were left wondering what the adults look like, then today is your lucky day! This is Prosapia bicincta, also known as the two-lined spittlebug.

Adult spittlebugs are also known as "froghoppers" because of their incredible jumping skills. Froghoppers jump from one plant to another, and some species can jump more than two vertical feet! While fleas get all the credit for their jumping abilities, relative to their body weight, the froghopper is actually the more impressive jumper!

Looking at this froghopper up close, you might notice that it bears a resemblance to a cicada. That's no coincidence; froghoppers belong to the infraorder Cicadomorpha, which includes cicadas, leafhoppers, and treehoppers.

ABOUT #BenInNature
Social distancing can be difficult, but it presents a great opportunity to become reacquainted with nature. In this series of posts, Administrator of Science Ben Williams ventures outdoors to record a snapshot of the unique sights that can be found in the natural world. New updates are posted Monday - Friday, with previous posts highlighted on the weekends. This series of posts is made possible thanks to the support of VMNH Corporate Partner Carter Bank & Trust (www.cbtcares.com).

NATURE PHOTO IDENTIFICATIONS
If you discover something in nature that you would like help identifying, be sure to message us right here on Facebook with a picture (please include location and date of picture) and we'll have our experts help you identify it!