Fulgoridae (The "lantern-bugs")

Fulgorids are some of my favorite insects. They look like almost cartoon-like with their strange heads and bright colours.



Though fulgoridae may look moth or butterfly-like, they are not related. These are from the order Hemiptera. When Carl Linnaeus was naming specimens, he was told by scientific illustrator Maria Sibylla Merian that the large protusions some tropical fulgoridae have lit up. This has never been verified, and is likely untrue, but Linnaeus took it at face value and named them Lantern Flies (or variations on this term in latin).

I saw some of Merian's Peanut-Headed bug (Fulgora laternaria) drawings at the Amazing Rare Things exhibition last year. It is thought that its strange head is meant to mimic a snake or lizard.

As usual you can click for a larger image.

Fulgoridae (The "lantern-bugs")

Fulgorids are some of my favorite insects. They look like almost cartoon-like with their strange heads and bright colours.



Though fulgoridae may look moth or butterfly-like, they are not related. These are from the order Hemiptera. When Carl Linnaeus was naming specimens, he was told by scientific illustrator Maria Sibylla Merian that the large protusions some tropical fulgoridae have lit up. This has never been verified, and is likely untrue, but Linnaeus took it at face value and named them Lantern Flies (or variations on this term in latin).

I saw some of Merian's Peanut-Headed bug (Fulgora laternaria) drawings at the Amazing Rare Things exhibition last year. It is thought that its strange head is meant to mimic a snake or lizard.

As usual you can click for a larger image.