Treehopper
Dornzikade ( Centrotus cornutus )
Hump hump cicadas chirping or ( Membracidae ), Eng. " Treehoppers ", are a family of Risso's cicadas ( Cicadomorpha ) from the superfamily of Membracoidea. They are especially common in the tropics and here very species - rich and form. Characteristic are the sometimes highly complicated processes of the pronotum of these insects. Worldwide, about 3000 species are described. Assume the existence of up to 10,000 species.
In Europe, five species live in four genera in three subfamilies: the occurring in Central Europe Dornzikade ( Centrotus cornutus ), the Ginsterzikade ( Gargara genistae ) and the Büffelzikade ( Stictocephala bisonia ) and domiciled exclusively in the Mediterranean Oxyrhachis capeneri and Centrotus chloroticus.
Description
Treehoppers are relatively large species with strongly bowed head. They have particularly bizarre shapes by various sometimes very complex and sweeping extensions of the pronotum ( pronotum ), some of which exceed the body in size. Despite these striking appendages typical roof-like wings of cicadas attitude remains clearly visible.
Treehoppers are phloem - sucker. Use the sugary sap, with the excess sugar is excreted by the animals again. In some species of ants these precipitations are recorded.