OniOniOniArt

Using the same methods as for the beetles in this post for Days 59 - 61 , I've made outlines of hoppers, (oak treehopper and candystripe leafhopper), with a brush pen, painted them with watercolors, and then masked them off for a splatter paint background. Day 64: Brushed Oak Treehopper The outlines are basically pen sketches. I don't do any pencil work first with the brush pen, so there is always a bit of a wonky look to them because I can't erase anything! This has the benefit of not needing to transfer a drawing onto the paper which can be time consuming (drawing with pencil directly on watercolor paper is not ideal because erasers can shred the surface). So the drawing is a bit more organic and less accurate! Day 65: Brushed Candystripe Leafhopper Day 66: Color & Splatter oak treehopper gets its minty fresh hue (I did add a light pencil line to help with the striping...) Before splatter:  After Splatter: Leaf...

Leafhoppers are tiny and sometimes hard to notice, but they definitely deserve a closer look. Related to cicadas and treehoppers, they come in a beautiful rainbow of colors and patterns. This one is from California. [February 21, 2020]

The brush pen is a fun thing to use, but the quick sketch does not always come out as hoped. I don't do any pencil sketching for these, it's just brush to blank paper, cross my fingers and hope for the best! Could be worse I suppose :) If I do this for a year, I'll get good at it, right? [January 22, 2020]

Dictyopharidae is a family of planthoppers known for their prominent rostrums (a nice word for schnoz). [March 15, 2016]

Membracis bucktoni This one can be found in Brazil and Peru (and likely other places in South America). It's helmet reminds me firstly of a Portuguese Man-of-War, and secondly of a mohawk. Perhaps it could be a mohawk styled after a Portuguese Man-of-War? Punk rockers should be taking note of this. [February 4, 2016]

Umbonia crassicornis Another US native. [February 3, 2016]

These treehoppers have charmed me, here is one native to the states ( Platycotis vittata ) [February 2, 2016]

You've got to love treehoppers and their bizarre appendages (commonly referred to as helmets). This one is an ant mimic ( Cyphonia clavata ). This is going to be the Year of Fashionable Ant Helmets, I can feel it! [February 1, 2016]

"C" is for Cladonota apicalis , a species of treehopper from central and south America whose "helmet" looks like the letter C or a crescent moon. Treehoppers sport some of the most bizarre anatomies of any animal in the Kingdom. Confession: I had to do this one on Feb 1st. [supposed to be January 31, 2016]

Mantispid or mantisfly, Mantispidae Today I explored Lake Mills Park and came across the above mantispid (among many other insects) which made my morning! So far I've only seen one other mantispid in my life, a green one. This one seems decidedly rotund in the abdomen, I wonder if it is a gravid female (or, hope not, possibly it has internal parasites)? Mantispids are in the order Neuroptera and not related to mantids, though they hunt in a similar fashion; ambushing prey by grabbing them in their raptorial forelimbs. Air potato leaf beetle - Lilioceris cheni Florida is overrun with invasive air potato vine which chokes out native vegetation. This beetle was introduced as a biological control a few years ago since it was found to feed exclusively on the air potato...and I'm happy to report it's kicking ass. Invasive air potato vine The "potato" Ebony jewelwing damselfly, Calopteryx maculata - male Restless b...

Eyed click beetle , Alaus oculatus The eyed clicked beetle is quite large at a little over 2" in length. One of its defense mechanisms is to snap a spine on the ventral side of its thorax into a groove which causes the beetle to launch into the air while producing an audible click. This one demonstrated for me when I got too close with the camera. Cicindela sp. , Tiger Beetle Efferia sp. This robber fly appears to be having a Flatid for lunch...possibly a palm planthopper. Rhynchomitra microrhina , Dictyopharid planthopper on milkweed Isn't it adorable?