I found this amorous pair mating on one of our milkweed plants last night. We have quite a few this year with a one or more on almost every milkweed plant…on the leaves of all things.
Red-banded Leafhoppers- Graphocephala coccinea.
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Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog 
Spectacular image you have captured, Steve. Makes me want to take a closer look at our milkweed plants…
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Thank you. I don’t know that they are host specific. We have a lot of milkweed so that’s where I am looking. I’ve seen them on others of our garden plants in previous years. Milkweed, as you probably know, has a noxious latex that most insects can’t stomach. In the case of this insect I think it is just the coincidental “port in a storm”. They do occur in Texas.
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Very interesting.
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Spectacular color!!
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These are very tiny, about the size of a nail clipping from your pinky, Lori. I am fortunate to have these little hoppers n the yard every year. They are beautiful…for bugs. 🙂
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Wow! I had no idea they were so tiny! Thanks for giving me a comparison. They seem even more special knowing how small they are!
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It boggles the mind that something so small has everything it takes to function and survive.
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These are very artistic leaf hoppers.
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They are lovely.
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Great colors on those hoppers. You did well with such tiny subjects.
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They held pretty still but the plant did not as it was a little breezy. Thanks.
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Racy, in both color and action. 😉
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Their design would look good on a car at Daytona. 🙂
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You caught the red-banded leafhoppers red-handed, Steve.
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In flagrante delicto! Tiny exhibitionists. Thanks, Peter.
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Wauw, they have wonderful colors 🙂
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They are brilliant, aren’t they? Thanks, Rudi!
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These are real beauties, Steve! Fabulous photo!
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Nature is the supreme artist. Thanks, Pete.
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Wonderful capture of these unusual looking bugs, Steve!
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Thanks, Ellen!
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Those little leafhoppers are so attractive – my eyes would always light up when I saw one. I haven’t seen one in a long time but they’re supposed to be here…..sonmewhere…
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I am sure they will show up, Lynn. We have lots of them but I still get excited when I spot one.
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🙂
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I love the color of these, such beautiful insects. And great moment there you captured. No wonder you have so many of them. 🙂
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There really are a lot of truly beautiful insects out there. Most folks only think of butterflies as attractive but the diversity is wonderful. There is a lot of this going on and I almost feel a voyeur photographing them. 🙂 Thanks, Todd!
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Very Colorful Steve! They are fun to photograph!
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Thanks, Reed. They are, especially as they are so abundant lately.
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I wondered if we had these, and BugGuide provided this little tidbit: “Graphocephala constricta is a central U.S. and Texan species, falling right on the western edge of the southern range of G. coccinea. Its appearance is practically identical to that of the most common forms of G. coccinea, but it is significantly smaller.” Significantly smaller? My goodness! No wonder I haven’t seen ours! I’m glad you found these; they’re beautiful little things.
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Wow! Significantly smaller than something already so tiny. I often mention how amazed I am by the complexity of organisms and that even the most infinitesimally small ones have everything required to exist in good health.
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WOW … amazing nature colors!
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They are beautiful and very numerous in our yard.
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You seem to have a nice biodiversity over at yours, Steve. These are amazingly colourful as well!
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WHen we first moved here there were lots and lots of insect species to enjoy. Then a new neighbor with a desire for a lawn like a golf course moved next door and the lawn treatments played havoc with the bugs. Fortunately he is doing less poisoning and the bugs are coming back. These two are quite colorful…almost dayglo. 🙂
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Happy to hear he is doing less poisoning. Here we are very aware of the danger for the insects and the whole biodiversity and the whole world. We do not use poison – at least noone I know of does.
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It is sad that most people do not understand how ecology works and even sadder that many do not care to know. Out of sight out of mind for too many.
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I don’t even want to think about it…
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That’s definitely up close and personal. Those bugs have a colorful love life.
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Apparently everything about their life is colorful. I suppose I should blush when I shoot them like this but must have no shame.
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