Another interesting curiosity
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gpmatthews
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Another interesting curiosity
Graham
Though we lean upon the same balustrade, the colours of the mountain are different.
Though we lean upon the same balustrade, the colours of the mountain are different.
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Carl_Constantine
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Mike B in OKlahoma
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Interesting....There's no indication that the gecko eats the planthopper. I can understand this with ants and aphids, because they are close to the same size, but I wouldn't think a teeny planthopper would be able to store up enough honeydew to make a difference for a comparatively huge gecko.
The hopper's camoflauge is certainly good.
The hopper's camoflauge is certainly good.
Mike Broderick
Oklahoma City, OK, USA
Constructive critiques of my pictures, and reposts in this forum for purposes of critique are welcome
"I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul....My mandate includes weird bugs."
--Calvin
Oklahoma City, OK, USA
Constructive critiques of my pictures, and reposts in this forum for purposes of critique are welcome
"I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul....My mandate includes weird bugs."
--Calvin
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rjlittlefield
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Nicely filmed and narrated.
But I can't help wondering if there's been a bit too much interpretation of this happy little relationship.
It's common behavior for hoppers to dispose of excess honeydew by flicking it off in small drops, whether there's anything around to grab the drops or not.
What we see in the film could be easily explained as nothing more than a hopper doing what hoppers always do, combined with a gecko that's "figured out" it can get more nutrition by eating the hopper's leftovers day after day than by eating the hopper once.
Alas, that version wouldn't have such a nice comfy Attenborough feel...which means it wouldn't sell nearly as well.
--Rik
But I can't help wondering if there's been a bit too much interpretation of this happy little relationship.
It's common behavior for hoppers to dispose of excess honeydew by flicking it off in small drops, whether there's anything around to grab the drops or not.
What we see in the film could be easily explained as nothing more than a hopper doing what hoppers always do, combined with a gecko that's "figured out" it can get more nutrition by eating the hopper's leftovers day after day than by eating the hopper once.
Alas, that version wouldn't have such a nice comfy Attenborough feel...which means it wouldn't sell nearly as well.
--Rik
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Planapo
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Thanks for linking this, Graham! Interesting and I would have otherwise missed the program. (Missed the previous programs of that series, though 
but hopefully the BBC will repeat it sometime or other 
)
With Sir David as presenter it´s always guaranteed that it´s a first class program in the good tradition of BBC natural history documentary.
--Betty
but hopefully the BBC will repeat it sometime or other )With Sir David as presenter it´s always guaranteed that it´s a first class program in the good tradition of BBC natural history documentary.
--Betty
