Today’s horrors of nature aren’t going to hurt you.
They’re just freaks. Little tiny freaks that you’ll probably not ever see in person, unless you travel around the world looking for them.
Introducing…
Photo by: gernotkunz - Umbelligerus woldai
Oh - hello there! That’s some interesting headgear you’ve got little pal. What’s that? You’ve got friends with equally impressive style?
Photo by gmasuzzo - Brazilian Treehopper (Bocydium globulare)
Photo by treegrow - Ant-mimicking Treehopper (Cyphonia cravat)
These little dandies are members of the Treehopper family. You’ve probably seen photos of their relatives that camouflage themselves by looking like thorns on a branch - or at least attempting to look like thorns. It’s a stretch for a lot of them.
Scientists now know that the strange horns and other growths on treehoppers are the evolutionary ancestors of a third set of wings.
Treehoppers are masters of mimicry. On their backs, these small, odd-shaped relatives of cicadas sport outgrowths called helmets, which resemble seeds, thorns, caterpillar poop, and even ants. Developmental biologists have now traced the origin and evolution of helmets, showing that treehoppers have achieved what no other insect has in more than 300 million years: a third set of wings, which are deeply modified to form the helmet.
As I mentioned, treehoppers aren’t going to hurt you, however they can be damaging to plants. You’ll not find the three varieties above in North America, but there are other members of the family that live all over the world. Treehoppers can transmit disease from one plant to another, in the same way that mosquitoes transmit malaria and other diseases between humans.
Learn more about treehoppers here: The beautiful and bizarre treehopper
While stumbling around the interwebs looking for the best treehopper specimens I observed that the nymphs of the various hoppers (tree, leaf, plant, etc.) are even crazier looking than their parents!
Is that an afterburner? A jet thruster? Why?
Photo by kueda - Danepteryx barbarae
I am out of time to solve the mysteries of the insect world tonight, so I’ll leave that up to you.
In other news, I put up some Halloween decorations today…
Ooooooohh, spooky!
I’m so pleased that our new house has electrical outlets on the front porch!
Sweet dreams - see you next week!
Tidbits
Leaping canines caught in midair by photographer Claudio Piccoli
Who Old Are You? - What have others accomplished by your age? Another fun infographic from Information is Beautiful
20 Surreal Places To Visit in United States of America Before You Die - how many have you visited? Only six for me…
Making: I am busy with my daily AInktober drawings. My favorite of the week was Lively Vulture song. There’s some really great prompts coming up…
Recently eaten: Thursday night we were out to see music at the Clock-Out Lounge, and ate a slice of Breezy Town Pizza there. Very tasty!
Reading: I just haven’t been reading as much lately. Too busy tending to artistic endeavors!
Video of the Week
When I was a teenager MTV arrived on the television and exposed me to a wide variety of music in my formative years. Haircut 100 was a favorite at the time, and this song sounds as good as ever. They’ve got the funk!
Question of the Week
If you feel like answering the question (or to just say hello), hit reply to this email. Answers will be shared next week - always anonymous.
What scares you?
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Last week I asked about what makes you happy.
Music, forests, and traveling to interesting places all make me happy. The sound of the surf on the rocky beaches hereabouts is pretty sweet, too.
Hiking makes me happy! And your newsletter, of course. [thank you!]
time with my nieces and nephews, running in nature, swimming in the ocean, reading a good book, listing the daily successes both big and small, noticing small but significant details, spending the day in a museum, time with my sisters, cooking and creating in the kitchen, listening to live music, time with my parents, making a breakthrough with challenging students, family time, drawing, sewing, watching my plants grow, road trips
If you seek joy, it will find you again and again.
Uninterrupted sleep
Music
Art
Dogs
Mother Nature
Music, art, time with the trees, good friends, and my amazing family.
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