mixed media (watercolor, ink, graphite)

Nature supplies an endless library of living curiosities. Jessica draws inspiration from dreams, memory, and natural life forms.

Responder updated this value. This tiny, delicate bug reminded me of a large charcoal drawing i made of a cicada in high school. To me, the cicada is a remarkable bug. Experiencing a periodical 17-year cicada swarm can be a life-changing experience. The endemic Hawaiian cicadellid is indeed related to the cicada, sharing the same order Auchenorrhyncha and infraorder Cicadomorpha.

These bugs don't chew - they are 'suckers'! The leafhoppers feed by sucking sap (xylem fluid) from plants and produce honeydew, which is apparently attractive to ants. There are 250 species of endemic Hawaiian leafhoppers within the genus Nesophrosyne & approximately 1-3 species in the genus Balolina. There are only 9 known species of Balclutha, believed to share an Indo-Pacific ancestor, diverging from a single colonization event. As a few specimens (B. kilaueae) had iridescent translucent wings, I wanted to create a colorful piece. There is still more to learn about these niche-occupying insects.