A few weeks ago a deer broke off a branch from one of the smooth sumac that I have been trying to establish on my property. Rather than tossing it out I put it in some water to see if it would root. After two weeks, I inspected it closely for any growth and found none. This is no surprise, stem cuttings are not recommended for propagating smooth sumac. What I did find was what looked like a new bud, but it was facing the wrong way. On closer examination I saw that it was a small insect.
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| If this bug were turned around on the branch, I may not have distinguished it from the sumac's leaf bud. |
The general shape of this insect brought leafhoppers to mind. Looking at similar insects on the web brought me to conclude that this was the nymph of a
two-striped planthopper,
Acanalonia bivittata.
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The white plume coming from the rear of this insect is a waxy compound that helps prevent desiccation
and may protect it from predators. |
While I really love my plants, there are some pretty amazing looking insects out there. All them with a role to play in a healthy ecosystem.
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