Re: Mystery solved

So what general family of insects does it belong to? Is it indeed one of the leafhoppers?
Cathy
On Sunday, July 18, 2004, at 11:45 AM, james singer wrote:

Auralie got it absolutely right. Thorn bug [Umbonia crassicornis].
Here's when the University of Florida says about it--

The thorn bug is an occasional pest of ornamentals and fruit trees in
southern Florida. During heavy infestations, nymphs and adults form
dense clusters around the twigs, branches and even small tree trunks.
Some hosts which have been severely damaged include Hibiscus sp.,
powder-puff (Calliandra spp.), woman's tongue tree (Albizzia lebbek),
and Acacia spp. Young trees of jacaranda (Jacaranda acutifolia) and
royal poinciana (Delonix regia) with a diameter of 1.5 to 2 inches have
been killed by thorn bugs in the Tampa area. The trunks were so heavily
infested that is was difficult to place a finger anywhere on the trunk
without touching a specimen. Damage is caused by sucking the sap and by
oviposition cuts. Butcher (1953) reported that certain trees,
especially some cassias, suffered considerable loss of foliage, and
that pithecellobiums (Pithecellobium spp.) suffered general and
extensive terminal twig death. He also mentioned that thorn bug
honey-dew secretions and accompanying sooty mold development caused a
nuisance to home owners. Kuitert (1958) noted that heavy accumulations
of honey-dew sometimes occurred on parked automobiles. There are
reports of barefooted children stepping on the spines of thorn bugs
which drop out of trees. The wounds are slow healing and sometimes
become infected.

There was also a picture of it at the UF site. And now, just so it
doesn't kill my acacia, I will go kill them.

Island Jim
Southwest Florida
27.0 N, 82.4
Zone 10a
Minimum 30 F [-1 C]

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