This looks a lot like a walking piece of popcorn, but it’s actually a very small flatid planthopper nymph, filmed in Ecuador by the late physicist, biologist, and photographer Andreas Kay. The insect, covered with waxy white filaments for protection, can be found in the Amazon rainforest. More from Wikipedia:
A planthopper is any insect in the infraorder Fulgoromorpha, in the suborder Auchenorrhyncha, and exceeding 12,500 described species worldwide. The name comes from their remarkable resemblance to leaves and other plants of their environment and from the fact that they often “hop” for quick transportation in a similar way to that of grasshoppers. However, planthoppers generally walk very slowly so as not to attract attention.
Watch more of Kay’s videos on TKSST and more tiny insects:
• Flower-like Planthopper Nymphs spring away from harm
• Front-flipping psyllids in slow-motion
• Why (and how) do spittlebugs make bubbles?
via Laughing Squid.
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