Friday, September 10, 2021

Planthopper Parasite Moth

Once again Gala Keller sent me down a rabbit hole.  This began innocently enough with the photograph above of a white spot on a leaf.  Even seen close up with a cellphone photo, it is hard to identify but INaturalist suggested it was a larva of a Planthopper Parasite Moth.

Turned over in her palm, it isn't any more impressive but it does resemble the better examples on the internet.  The one below is a better view.  If you still aren't convinced this is a larva, watch it wiggle its legs in Gala's video.

Fulgoraecia exigua  on a planthopper-   Matt Bertone CC
The Epipyropidae comprise a small family of moths. This family and the closely related Cyclotornidae are unique among the Lepidoptera in that the larvae are ectoparasites, the hosts typically being fulgoroid planthoppers, thus the common name planthopper parasite moths. (Wikipedia)

That is a lot of blog for a little fluff.