This colourful Lantern Bug (Pyrops whiteheadi) is a so-called planthopper of the Pyrops genus. As opposed to the popular believe the long beak or rostrum doesn’t give light – as planthoppers are herbivorous it is used to suck juice and sap out of plants and flowers.
Published on May 9, 2015
Lantern Bug
i AM Safari 
Wow – check all the colours of this little guy! Green, purple, orange, metallic blue – must be on of the most beautiful bugs I have seen:)
Isn’t he beautiful? It’s believed that the colours are there for communicative purposes
For some reason that looks like a pleasant bug!
I think it’s the big black eye that does it – not the faceted alien-like ones most insects have
Such an otherworldly looking creature Maurice! Are they poisonous? Often such bright colours would advertise to predators that the owner is either poisonous or foul tasting.
It’s a very distinctive bug indeed Dries. I’m not sure if they’re poisonous but the bright colours are certainly there to deter predators – and they also come in handy in the attraction of a partner 🙂
Flashy!
A beautiful bug, well captured.
Thanks Sue!
What an amazing specimen ! It’s so colourful and I love the yellow dots ! I’m very surprise by the shape of its head.
It has an extraordinary shape indeed, Gin – It has such a big sucking tube that it makes me think of a Rhino 🙂 It’s a hallmark of the Fulgoroidea-superfamily of planthoppers
Can we find some in Europe ? I’ve never seen anything like that (or maybe I never really paid attention…)
Such vivid colors!
janet
They are Janet – I like the leaf-like vein pattern on the wings too, giving it all the camouflage it needs between the vegetation.