Umbonia Spinosa
This uncommon creature has an official
name that sounds like one of Harry Potter’s spells, but it is sometimes
called a treehopper or thorn bug. This delightfully strange bug has
scientists rather baffled as there hasn’t been a ton of intense research on
them, though they believe it to be closely related to the cicada.
Though other thorn bugs have a shape
that looks like, well thorns, this one seems to be sporting a strange
helmet that appears to be more of a fashion statement than good
camouflage.Like other bugs, they use their sharp mouthparts to pierce plants
and stems and suck the sap inside them.
Because of their sweet diet, like
aphids, they produce a sugary excrement which ants really love called honeydew.
These
thorn bugs are related to cicadas, and use their beaks to pierce plant stems to
feed upon their sap. Their strange appearance still poses many questions to
scientists.
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