Today's Creature: Cyphonia Clavata " Treehopper" Cyphonia clavata. This treehopper looks more like an ant than the flying insect it is. Its costume, called a "helmet," grows out of its upper back. Treehoppers are masters of disguise—they might look like a leaf, a thorn, a twig, or bark. Treehoppers and thorn bugs are members of the family Membracidae, a group of insects related to the cicadas and the leafhoppers. About 3,200 species of treehoppers in over 400 genera are known. They are found on

Treehoppers have evolved an ingenious way to communicate without a sound—and they're making a racket. http://bit.ly/25zquww (Video by Flora Lichtman) | bioGraphic

This wide-footed treehopper is easy to identify thanks to a segment of the thorax that extends forward to cover the head and backward to cover the abdomen. They are shaped to resemble thorns, allowing the treehopper to blend in amongst the trees and shrubs it feeds on. #treehopper #widefooted #insect #animal #wildlife #reel #pronotum #thorn #shield #PhotoArk | Joel Sartore, Photographer