Tiny Amazonian Bug Looks Like a Walking Piece of Popcorn
by Matthew Hart
Dec 3 2020 • 3:05 PM
The insect world is filled to the brim with strange, diminutive bugs that fly, murder, and dazzle—sometimes all at the same time. But the Ecuadorian Planthopper Nymph, tiny as it may be, still manages to stand out amongst its beautifully weird peers. Mainly because it wouldn’t stand out at all in say, a bucket of movie popcorn.
The late independent scientist, Andreas Kay, shot the above video of the Ecuadorian Nymph. Kay, who explored Ecuador’s biodiversity while alive, captured the video as the puffy insect ran around on his finger.
The little piece of speeding popcorn (which comes via PetaPixel) is one of the roughly 12,500 known planthopper species on Earth. Planthoppers are bugs that resemble plants native to their own environments. And, as their name suggests, planthoppers are also able to “hop” about for quick transportation.
Andreas Kay
This particular planthopper, the Flatid Planthopper Nymph, not only looks like it’d be the ideal candidate for a “pass the butter” bot bath, but also has some unique functionality. Apparently, this Nymph, like some others, is able to produce wax from glands from around its body. This wax is hydrophobic (it repels water), and helps to protect the popcorn bug. As well as any eggs it may have. (How’s your appetite now, huh?!)
More:
https://nerdist.com/article/bug-that-looks-like-popcorn-planthopper-nymph/
Also posted in Science:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/122872967
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Wildlife photographer Andreas Kay took almost 30,000 images of Ecuador's insects and amphibians during his life.
By Troy FarahNovember 22, 2019 11:40 AM
In mid-October, the world lost a great light: Andreas Kay, a wildlife photographer who celebrated the explosive biodiversity of insects, spiders, amphibians and other creatures in Ecuador’s teeming rainforest. Born in Köln, Germany, Kay was 56 and died from brain cancer.
Kay shared more than 30,000 photos on Flickr, all of them now in the public domain. It will stand as his enduring gift to the world. Kay also made many contributions to science, including discovering the orchids Lepanthes kayii and Lepanthopsis kayii, which are named after him. He also rediscovered the Rio Faisanes stubfoot toad (Atelopus coynei), thought to be extinct for decades. Kay even made contributions in the field of physics — describing, for example, ways to enhance solar cells.
The photographer has more than 16,000 citations on Google Scholar.
Wildlife photographer Andreas Kay. (Courtesy of Andreas Kay)
Kay’s last message, posted on Facebook and accompanied by an image of treehoppers, was simple yet heartbreaking: “I had a wonderful life but much more to learn. All the best for the future of Ecuador and this wonderful planet. Yours, Andreas.”
Here is a small selection of Kay’s breathtaking work. You can learn more about him at andreaskay.org.
More:
https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/peer-into-the-rainforests-stunning-biodiversity
Thank you, Bernardo de La Paz.
Hi Judy,
I see your post about the popcorn bug video of the late Dr Andreas Kay.
Actually, I was lucky to have explored the rainforest of Puyo, Ecuador with him for a few days.
Please also check my youtube channel, maybe you will like some of my Jungle animals videos.
Have a nice week-end
https://www.youtube.com/davidweiller
Can't imagine how something like that can exist anywhere.
You were so lucky to capture the moment, and your viewers are lucky you've made it available.
It would be such an adventure, following that profession. Very best wishes. It's so good you shared this information.
Really looking forward to looking for more of your work at the YouTube channel.
People need to be reminded any way possible of the very much larger, more complex world around them. These images certainly get the job done. 
