Once I saw these amazing creatures congregating on the end of a small twig, I couldn’t remember why I originally walked over to this particular oak tree. I called my friend Don over to have a look, and he exclaimed, “They’re Oak Treehoppers!”
The nymphs of the oak treehopper look fairly ominous. They are boldly colored black, red, and white. In addition, they have spikes on the top of their body and red eyes. As they grow and develop, they will change colors and patterns. So, I’ll be going back to check on them regularly to see how they evolve and take some photos.
Next to the nymphs was an adult treehopper. I didn’t see this adult at first because she resembled a small tree bud. The adult treehoppers become well-camouflaged as they mature turning olive-brown with yellow dots. This is the female, and she will stay around to stand guard and protect her nymph colony as they grow.
Treehoppers drink the sap of the tree.
