Candy Striped Leafhopper

Wallpaper Description:

I took some photographs of this beautiful insect a couple of months ago, but never got a chance to upload any until now.

When I was growing up, we called these "colorful hoppies." In insect guides they are often called red banded leafhoppers. Another common name for them is Candy-Striped leafhopper, which fits them well.

Leafhoppers come in many colors. Many of them are plain green. The redbanded type come with red & green stripes, or red & blue stripes. In my area, they are red and blue. Either type has a yellow head and underbody.

This kind of leafhopper is widespread in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

I have often seen them on rosebushes, but they can be seen on any plant, especially ornamental plants in gardens. They are only about 3/8 of an inch long, so they aren't as easy to spot as many colorful insects. They are also a challenge to catch, because they can leap very high.

I caught and played with insects a lot when I was a kid. These were/are among my favorites because they are so pretty.

CollieSmile

PS. What's better than one Candy-striped leafhopper? Two of them! Here is a link to my "2 leafhopper" wall:

http://nature.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper/1852543/