It's a real treat to find this beautiful creature when on a tour. Funny, in my post yesterday morning I talked about the copaíba tree and in the afternoon I conducted a forest walk with a small group of visiting Germans. I took my camera with me because I was hoping that we might see our friend, the so-called jequitiranamboia. It's an indigenous word, which translates into something like the "bug with an empty head", referring to the false dragon-like head. In the image you can see what I'm describing. Click in on the thumbnail pix to get a better view. The real head is back of that protrusion. See the eyes? There were three of these creatures on the tree trunk, which is a copaiba tree. I have never seen lantern bugs on any other trees, other than on this copaíba. I can say, almost for sure, that the sweet smelling copaíba oil (resin) is the attraction. The family of insects is Fulgoridae and the species is Fulgora laternaria.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Lantern bug
It's a real treat to find this beautiful creature when on a tour. Funny, in my post yesterday morning I talked about the copaíba tree and in the afternoon I conducted a forest walk with a small group of visiting Germans. I took my camera with me because I was hoping that we might see our friend, the so-called jequitiranamboia. It's an indigenous word, which translates into something like the "bug with an empty head", referring to the false dragon-like head. In the image you can see what I'm describing. Click in on the thumbnail pix to get a better view. The real head is back of that protrusion. See the eyes? There were three of these creatures on the tree trunk, which is a copaiba tree. I have never seen lantern bugs on any other trees, other than on this copaíba. I can say, almost for sure, that the sweet smelling copaíba oil (resin) is the attraction. The family of insects is Fulgoridae and the species is Fulgora laternaria.
