I have started making a lot of connections between life history of different animals. Most insect transform to such an incredible degree between life stages; that it’s almost impossible to bin them as the same species until you see one – transform into another.
With light of this above note
I am starting a little fun “puzzle” sequence where I will post some fun puzzle images and let everyone guess what it is. Leave your comments below..
Lots of clues hidden in the images itself; so keep wondering 🙂
Rules of the game/hints: if you ask me “yes” – “no” questions in this – what animal is this game.. I will oblige below in comment section.
Clue: I found many of them..
Cheers
Manu
—X–
Update: by popular request; I am also uploading other life stages of the bug as a clue as well. Lots of information in these little videos.
Also; to give you a perspective of how I got excited about the mystery bug; here are the leaves I first found them. Notice the distinct indentation that’s present on the leaf.
The bottom of the leaf is what’s hiding the surprise.
Here is the transition of the tree and live imaging.
Finally; here is the adult stage.
Happy hunting.. Remember its importance to California (as a clue)..
Cheers
Manu
Ps: the suggestions below are close – but not exact as yet. Some more mysteries are hidden; if you look closely at the new material.
—X–X–
Update: I have now posted this observation on iNaturalist as well. Once I get the official ID; I will post it here.
http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/3198669
🙂
Is it a bed bug?
How big is it? Can you give a rough size?
Is it a baby leafhopper?
I’m intrigued by its red eyes.. Is it a cicada?
Its growing on a leaf. Is it a scale insect?
Or is it an aphid.
Wow – in a short time; you both are really very close. One clue – it’s growing “inside” the leaf – so between the two layers of the leaf.
I hope it’s not a bed bug 🙂
Cheers
Manu
Hint 1: it’s very host specific – one plant; one species.
Hint 2: it’s quiet dangerous (for the plant ai mean).
Hint 3: Amongst true bugs, it’s one of the oldest lineages. So it’s a very primitively insect that co-evolved with flowering plants from the very beginning.
Cheers
Manu
Ooh – it’s an insect that also produces galls on plant leaves.
The image you’re showing is either the larvae or nymphal stage of a jumping plant louse (Trioza).
Here’s the closest image I can find – the deadly red eyes give it away.
http://www.scielo.org.mx/pdf/rcscfa/v21n1/v21n1a10.pdf
Hmm.. the plant lice if so it would be great to see other differentiated stages
@manu
Can you confirm if this indeed a plant louse 🙂 ?
After consulting Aravind, It is obviously a psyllid. Perhaps Eugenia Psyllid? or a Citrus Psyllid.
Hurray!! @Laks – that’s absolutely right. Citrus Psyllid!!
What’s so exciting is that I was able to actually image it feeding – once I get to make a real post; I will share the same. It’s incredible how small the stylets are – they are so spectacular to watch.
Cheers
Manu