Did you know that insects are the most diverse group of organisms on our planet? There are more than 900,000 different species of these animals – from flies to, bees, butterflies to beetles and more.
Even with so much variety, bet you’ve never thought to find an insect that looks more like popcorn with legs or something similar to a little cloud.
This nymph, in the shape of a popcorn, belongs to the infraorder Fulgoromorpha, given rise to by insects that look like vegetables, in adulthood. Commonly known as planthoppers, or plant jumpers, since they live in the inside of them and feed on their leaves. There are more than 12,500 species of them, including the one recorded in the video, by biologist and photographer Andreas Kay.
Many of these pets live in South America and the popcorn nymph was found in a part of the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador. It has this unique appearance because it produces a wax, which accumulates around the creature’s small body. With this mechanism, it looks more like a tangled spider web or even bird droppings, outwitting its predators.
As adults, gleamomorphs maintain the production of wax, but without being completely covered by it – and without the appearance of popcorn with legs. Even if it is a mechanism against other animals, it has a very interesting effect on humans, they remind us of wonderful times spent at theaters.
