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tofu
20-July-2006, 04:54 PM
I coworker of mine saw a strange bug in her yard and asked me what it was. I've never seen one like this before, but I told her that I knew a place where a whole bunch of nerds hang out and that one of them could probably make a pretty good guess.

This picture was taken about one month ago in North-West Florida. The insect pictured is about 4mm long. The thumbnail links to a larger version.

http://seaofcrisis.com/ext/babb/bug_sm.jpg (http://seaofcrisis.com/ext/babb/bug_lg.jpg)
farmerjumperdon
20-July-2006, 07:04 PM
I resent that.

That we would guess. We of course know what it is.

As my wife would say, it's a . . .

BUG!!!!!!!
Roy Batty
20-July-2006, 07:14 PM
No idea, but it kind of looks like a moth not quite out of its chrysalis phase to me.
Jim
20-July-2006, 07:17 PM
It looks like a type of cicada.
tofu
20-July-2006, 07:22 PM
It looks like a type of cicada.

Are there 4mm cicadas?
Sticks
20-July-2006, 07:23 PM
Ask Grissom :razz:
mugaliens
20-July-2006, 08:18 PM
It looks like a type of cicada.

I second that, because of it's stance, it's location (upright on the twig), its eyes (variated coloring and quite large), and it's lacy wings held back. But most of all, because of the underside of the head - that's the classic cicada black and white latitudinal banding. Shape of the body is pretty much a given, too, although this one appears to be a bit puny.
Roy Batty
20-July-2006, 08:30 PM
Maybe he meant 4cm? Cicadas moult don't they when they first emerge, may be that's what it is (clinging on to the chrysalis theory:))
01101001
20-July-2006, 08:33 PM
4mm? Really? Around the size of a common ant, smaller than a mosquito?

Not 4cm like a cicada?

If that insect were 4mm, then the diameter of the twig (check: yep, the enlargement shows a leaf stalk at the top) is about 1.3mm (edit: about 1mm by measurement rather than eyeball), and that just seems too slender. At least, I couldn't find any twigs that narrow in my neighborhood.
BigDon
20-July-2006, 09:34 PM
That's a cicada big time. My friends who post over at Fishindex who live back east posted tons of pics of them during their recent emergence.
GDwarf
20-July-2006, 09:38 PM
Definitely a Cicada. 4cm isn't at all unusual for them, well, maybe it is, but I've certainly seen them that big.

Edit: Oh, 4mm, my bad.

That does seem a bit small for a Cicada.
Swift
20-July-2006, 10:03 PM
This is a website (http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/misc/bugs/cicadas.htm) on the cicadas of Florida by the Florida Dept. of Agriculture. They do list species with forewings less than 7 mm (so I assume the body could be a similar size). The only photo of the little ones on that website is of the "Little Green", but it has a similar shape.
BigDon
20-July-2006, 11:29 PM
Wait a sec! Mm or cm? Big difference if its that small. Holy Moly! It just dawned on me what it is and thats very bad! Do a google search on Glassy winged sharpshooter! And alert your local Dept of Agriculture! That is a major agricultural pest. they are going to want to know!
BigDon
20-July-2006, 11:32 PM
Yep the pictures are identicle. Those bugs are a vector for a plant virus that wipes out vineyards and some orchard plants!
Jim
20-July-2006, 11:46 PM
Hmm, I think you're right, Don. The size is about right (14mm for an adult).

http://nature.berkeley.edu/xylella/oss.html

Pic: http://nature.berkeley.edu/xylella/daane126.jpg
tofu
21-July-2006, 12:11 AM
Wait a sec! Mm or cm? Big difference if its that small. Holy Moly! It just dawned on me what it is and thats very bad! Do a google search on Glassy winged sharpshooter! And alert your local Dept of Agriculture! That is a major agricultural pest. they are going to want to know!


BigDon wins the prize!

How cool is this forum, huh? This is the second time that I've posted a "please identify this" question and both times I got the right answer.

Thanks!
BigDon
21-July-2006, 12:21 AM
No problem Tofu,

Been an amature biologist ever since I was six years old and they let me have my first library card. 40 years later and its almost like I know something! :)
BigDon
21-July-2006, 12:31 AM
Whoa totally cool, my kid brother just came in and surprised me a school of twenty neon tetras for my 55gal soft water tank! (brother is 43, but he's still my kid brother.) Said this morning that the tank lacked color but I thought he was just making conversation. Got to go set things up for them!
TriangleMan
21-July-2006, 06:30 AM
How cool is this forum, huh?

I love the fact that everytime I come here I learn something new. :dance: