2nd video of leafhopper: better view of flicking mechanism

Bruce Williams · Post by **Bruce Williams** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 4:28 am

Hi folks,

This video was taken from the LHS of the hopper so it is flicking (squirting) it's drops of honeydew away from the camera. This enables us to se the "catch and flick" mechanism more clearly than in my first video which was taken from the RHS of the leafhopper. You will need to look VERY closely to see the "flicker" move.

The excited barking heard on the video is my "helper" Maggy who thinks it's her job to scare away all the nasty bugs and spiders

.

Bruce

*Link for YouTube video:
http://www.tal-handaq.co.uk/youtube/leafhopper1.html

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MacroLuv · Post by **MacroLuv** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 1:17 pm

I saw it blinking three times.

By the way, Maggy has a nice voice.

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 3:15 am

Hmm...if it were not for your note on Maggy, I would maybe have assumed a "barking leaf hopper."

You know I did not know that those things did that before your posts on them. Ants in the area must carry fielders gloves. Neat video.

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 7:16 am

"Ants in the area must carry fielders gloves."

I think I recall seeing in one of the Life in the Undergrowth videos, a moth that feeds by positioning its proboscis near the tail of a hopper, and catching the drops as they squirt out.

Something like that, anyway.

Bruce, this is fun stuff!

--Rik

Bruce Williams · Post by **Bruce Williams** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 1:04 pm

Thanks for your supportive comments guys.

Rik, interesting - I've seen a photo somewhere on the net of ants taking the honeydew from a small species of leafhopper but unfortunately have been unsuccessful trying to relocate it - will keep looking.

Bruce