Cuckoo Spit
As spring is approaching, I notice again the appearance of “cuckoo spit” on some of our plants (in particular the leaves of a ngaio bush). The frothy lather is the work of the nymphs of froghoppers. Several years ago I decided to have a closer look, using reversed lenses. In this picture we look onto a nymph (a few millimetres long) and the bubbles it created around itself (to retain moisture and to protect against predators). In the last picture one sees the proboscis, used to extract copious quantities of sap from the leaf below; the sap is then pumped out at the other end in the form of bubbles. Fascinating to watch if you make time for it.
For more black and white images check out Dragonstar’s Weekend in Black and White.
Cuckoo Spit
Spittlebug Nymph
August 30, 2014 at 7:41 am
Wow! Great photos! I love the gem-like bubbles in the first one.
August 30, 2014 at 8:23 am
That is impressive! Fascinating to look at!
August 30, 2014 at 10:43 am
Terrific shots! I don’t think I’ve heard of similar things done in this part of the world.
August 30, 2014 at 11:36 am
oooh very cool photos!
August 31, 2014 at 9:52 pm
Absolutely brilliant photos!
September 1, 2014 at 2:19 am
Fantastic photos!!!
September 1, 2014 at 8:00 am
a scientific article. 🙂 Cool stuff!
September 2, 2014 at 7:10 am
Wow,- very interesting post, and terrific shot of the bubbles!
🙂