I caught a specimen of the stunning little leafhopper Aguriahana stellulata in my garden moth trap this week. I didn't get a photo but there are some nice ones on the British Bugs website here.
At first, I got excited thinking this was a Leucoptera moth, which would have been new for the garden. It was only when I got the tiny specimen under a hand lens that I realised it was a bug. The similarity between these unrelated insects is quite striking, see here for a photo of the moth. Which begs the question, does one species mimic the other, or is this a case of convergent evolution, i.e. there is something advantageous about this particular wing pattern?
George
You are right, George. The resemblance is striking.
ReplyDeleteI think there is enough material for a good PhD thesis in your question George! It is a striking bug though isn't it? Lots of leafhoppers turning up in my trap too, along with more beetles than I have seen in previous years. Also the number and variety of parasitic wasps has been exceptional.
ReplyDeleteI have a bizarre looking weevil in the fridge which I will postr a pic of later.
It's looking like it will be a really good year for insects!