Brazilian humpback. Humpback habitat

Humpbacks are small insects, the main feature of which are the incredible outgrowths on the back. These outgrowths can be in the form of horns, spines, ridges, balls, and so on.

The outgrowths on the body of the humpback can be larger in size than the insect itself. Because of them, humpbacks got their name.

Humpback habitat

There are more than 3 thousand species of these insects. Humpbacks live all over the world, they cannot be found only in Antarctica. Most of the species live in the tropics of South America. In addition, humpbacks are found in temperate latitudes.

It should be noted that in tropical specimens, the outgrowths on the back have more bizarre shapes in comparison with their northern counterparts.

Horned humpbacks live in our country, but their appearance is not so intricate. There are only 3 species of humpbacks living in Europe.

Humpback lifestyle

Most humpbacks live on plants. The most favorite places are forest edges and clearings. In most humpback whales, part of their life cycle occurs in trees.

Although the structures on the bodies of humpbacks can be significant in size, these insects are capable of flying.

True, they do not fly very well. They can only travel a few meters in the air.

The life of humpback whales can hardly be called eventful, since most of it they do not leave the plants. They suck out juices from plants. Vegetable juice for humpbacks is the main source of nutrition. Both adult insects and larvae feed on it. They do little harm to cultivated plants.

Humpbacks are found from July to August.

The appearance of humpbacks

As already noted, the main feature of this species is the interesting outgrowths on the pronotum. In some humpbacks, they are simple, for example, they resemble a horn in shape, while in others they are real architectural structures. The main meaning of these outgrowths is not clear; most likely, this is a way of mimicry.

It is noteworthy that in males and females of the same species, the shape and color of the outgrowths may differ.

Humpback development

Humpback females lay eggs on the surface of leaves, on plant roots or under the bark. The eggs overwinter. To protect the eggs, many females cover them with a special foamy substance that hardens and becomes quite durable. And some females guard their clutch, in addition, they remain with the larvae while they develop.

The excrement of humpback larvae is rich in sugar. This excrement is called honeydew. This dew is very fond of ants. In this regard, between the nymphs of humpbacks and ants, cooperation has been established, which is useful for both types of insects. Ants feed on a sweet substance, and in "gratitude" they protect the nymphs from other predatory insects.

Scientists unite humpback beetles in a special family - Membracidae - as part of the Cicadov suborder. In total, about two and a half thousand species of humpbacks are known in the world. The vast majority of them live in the tropics. Our Horned Humpback is one of the few representatives of a large tropical family that has adapted to live in the conditions of Central Russia.

These small relatives of cicadas are famous for having all kinds of outgrowths on their pronotum - spines, horns or ridges of the most incredible shapes and colors.
Often these outgrowths exceed the body size of the humpbacks themselves. And they also have translucent wings folded on the sides of the body.
You don't have to go to the tropics to see the humpback. It is enough to go out in June on a damp meadow, meadow or forest edge. Here, on the stems of tall grasses or twigs of small shrubs, you can find the Horned Humpback (Centrotus cornutus L.).

Horned humpback (Centrotus cornutus L.).

Of course, she is not as bright and colorful as her tropical relatives. It is a small insect dark brown in color, 7 to 9 millimeters long. Nevertheless, its pronotum also has peculiar outgrowths, thanks to which the humpbacks got their name. Our humpback has three horns. Two of them are not very large, they look like rose thorns and stick out to the sides. They are clearly visible from above. The third horn is the longest. It is directed backward along the body and reaches almost the end of the humpback abdomen! To see it, it is best to look at the insect "in profile".

Despite such large horns, humpbacks can fly. However, their flight is quite heavy, chirping, like most other cicadas. Having flown a few meters, the humpbacks descend onto the stem of the nearest plant. Tropical species fly in the same way, with all their incredible structures. Still, humpbacks are unimportant flyers. Therefore, they do not live in open places, but in clearings and edges, where the forest protects them from the wind.
Why do humpbacks carry such huge horns on their backs? Scientists still don't know for sure. One way or another, these incredible outgrowths arose and developed in the process of evolution, fixed by natural selection. This means that there really is some kind of necessity in nature, thanks to which humpbacks have acquired such burdensome "decorations".

This is not to say that humpbacks lead an interesting or eventful life. Most of the time, these insects sit on the stems of plants and suck sap with their proboscis.
Humpback females lay eggs on the bark, buds, or leaves of various plant species. Like all other cicadas, their larvae are similar to adult insects. Only they are small and still wingless. The lifestyle of the larvae and adult humpbacks differs little. Both are often crowded. However, humpbacks never reach such high numbers as, for example, their relatives from the family of True leafhoppers. Therefore, they do not cause much harm either here or in the tropics.

Brazilian melliter humpback bocydium globulare.

Nature has presented an unusual shell, similar to the plumage of a helicopter. But all this structure cannot rotate and, moreover, interferes with the movement of the insect. Biologists have no choice but to assume that the blades of a "bio-helicopter" are endowed with a certain function that increases sexual attractiveness.

Humpbacks (Membracidae) differ from pennies primarily in that they have a strongly developed pronotum, usually bearing ridges, spines, or other outgrowths.

These bizarre formations have attracted the attention of many zoologists, but their significance has not yet been clarified. One cannot help but think, looking at the strange structures on the pronotum of these insects, about the role they can play, but there is still no answer to this question.

It is known that as we move from the tropics to the north, both the size and shape of these outgrowths become more modest, and our humpbacks, for example, our horned humpback (Centrotus cornutus), have a completely unpretentious appearance. Humpback eggs are laid on the buds, under the bark, on the leaves or roots of plants, often woody. The eggs are overwintering. The larvae are often crowded. They suck the juices from plants, excreting abundantly often sugar-rich excrement, as a result of which many species feed on ants. Annual generation

In Panama, insects are completely unimaginable. This one is one of the species of Spongophorus ballista.

It is also called the big humpback.

Tropical humpbacks from the genera Bocydium and Cyphonia bear a completely baroque structure on their heads: the curved column is directed forward at one, and at the other backward, and soon this column, like deer antlers, branches out at once into three or five processes, which suddenly end with ... hefty spiky balls, each with long branches protruding back and to the sides, so that the whole humpback together looks like a cross between a beetle and a chandelier. And on the sides of this feast of the spirit of form are wings, because humpbacks fly. It looks like Notre Dame or Isaac suddenly acquired a pair of small wings and moved to the side.

Brazilian humpback (Bocydium globulare)

Evolution made the Brazilian humpback goat so for a reason. The surreal appearance of the insect scares away predators. Quasi-hillocks in the form of antennae, at the end of which there are balls similar to eyes, are actually chitinous layers that protect the humpback from attacks by predators.

Bizarre spines, hooks and processes are surrounded by bristles, which perform the protective and sensory functions of the humpback.

Brazilian humpbacks belong to the insect class, the Hemiptera order, and the cicada family.

Like other members of this family, adult humpbacks and their larvae feed on plant juices.

Humpbacks are widespread throughout the globe; they are not found only in the Arctic latitudes.

The largest and most diverse population of these amazing insects lives in the tropical forests of South America.

These are small insects, a distinctive feature of which are outgrowths of the most incredible shape, located on the back. They can be in the form of horns, ridges, balls, thorns, horns, etc. These "constructions" sometimes exceed the dimensions of the humpback itself. Actually, because of them, this insect got its name. Meet the most impartial insect on our planet. Brazilian humpback or Bocydium globulare
For a reason, evolution has made the Brazilian humpback so ugly. The surreal appearance of the insect scares away predators. Quasi-hillocks in the form of antennae, at the end of which there are balls similar to eyes, are actually chitinous layers that protect the humpback from attacks by predators. Yes, these are the harsh realities of the wilderness. The uglier and scarier you look, the more chances you have to survive. It is in the human world that the opposite rules apply. If a person is sympathetic, then he inspires confidence, therefore, it is easier to achieve success. From the point of view of nature, homo sapiens is an absolutely wrong species. However, this does not prevent us from dominating the planet.

Bizarre spines, hooks and processes are surrounded by bristles, which perform the protective and sensory functions of the humpback.
Brazilian humpbacks belong to the insect class, the Hemiptera order, and the cicada family. Like other members of this family, adult humpbacks and their larvae feed on plant juices.
Photo 3.

Humpbacks are widespread throughout the globe; they are not found only in the Arctic latitudes. The largest and most diverse population of these amazing insects lives in the tropical forests of South America. Fierce competition in the tropics for survival made them real monsters.

With a variety of bizarre shapes, Brazilian humpbacks have become a source of inspiration for artists and sculptors. Looking at the creatures depicted in the photographs, you come to the idea that if Salvador Dali had invented insects, they would look exactly like this.

There are about 3200 species of humpbacks in the world. They are common all over the world, well, except for Antarctica. Most of them are inhabitants of the tropics of South America. But some species are also found in temperate latitudes. True, in tropical specimens, the “structures” on the pronotum have more bizarre shapes than those of their northern relatives. In Russia, you can find the horned humpback, but it already has a simpler appearance. In Europe, there are only 3 species of this insect.

Most of these insects live on plants, some can be found in the crown of foliage. The most preferred places are clearings and forest edges surrounded by dense forest. Most species spend part of their life cycle in trees.
The main feature of humpbacks is their intricate outgrowths located on the pronotum. In some species, they are simpler, for example, in the form of an ordinary hump, while in others they are a real work of architectural art. Their main purpose is not clear. Perhaps this is one of the ways of mimicry. Interestingly, males and females of the same species can sometimes have different shapes and colors of their outgrowths.
Photo 7.

Despite these "constructions" of impressive size, humpbacks can fly, although they are not important flyers. The flight distance is only a few meters.
Their life cannot be called eventful. Most of the time humpbacks spend on plants and suck their juices. This is their main source of nutrition. It is drunk by both adults and their larvae.
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But look at another representative of the humpback family. These are not thorns, they are - Umbonia Spinosa
Photo 22.

In Umbonia humpback beetles, adults protect young larvae by repelling predators with their “horns” on their backs. They begin to make defensive movements, smelling a special smell that the wounded larva emits. The humpback is usually attacked by public polisty wasps. Wasps fly between branches, touching ledges at random, hoping to stumble upon a humpback. Young humpbacks, nymphs and larvae try to escape when attacking, while females guarding eggs open their wings and “butt”. It is impossible to seriously believe that humpbacks have invented all their architectural grace to fend off enemies, or to most effectively protect the larvae.

There are a huge number of insects on Earth, sometimes quite strange. Some of them are inhabitants of the Brazilian jungle. These include, for example, the Brazilian humpback, which belongs to the cicada family. At the first glance at her, there is a feeling that this creature has an unearthly origin. This is due to the strange shape of her head, on which growths with a spherical ending are located. In appearance, they resemble space antennas. It can be assumed that this is how the eyes of an insect look, but, as it turns out, this is not so. The balls are chitinous layers. It is believed that they perform a protective function, scaring away the enemies of the humpback. According to another hypothesis, these are elements of mimicry. Their true purpose is unknown. In addition, in females and males, these growths may differ in color. Their shape depends on the type of insect and its habitat. In some individuals, this is a common hump, while in others, it is something incomprehensible and original.

The strangeness of the insect is also evidenced by the fact that it is very difficult to see it without optical instruments. It is very small and also lives in the treetops. Most of the locals have never seen him. An adult rarely grows more than 2 centimeters in length.

For the first time, the model of the Brazilian humpback was presented by the German sculptor Alfred Keller. For a long time it was believed that this is just a figment of his fantasy. After some time, scientists obtained genuine photographs of the insect, which dispelled any doubts about its existence. His homeland, as expected, was Brazil. As for the strange forms of the humpback, they are due to the conditions of survival in the environment. In particular, it is camouflage and protection from predators. The law of nature is harsh - the uglier the form, the more chances of survival.

The Brazilian humpback whale feeds on juice, which is extracted from plants. It is found not only in Brazil, but also in the tropics of South America. Currently, more than 3200 of their species are known, most of which are inhabitants of temperate latitudes. The most original forms in tropical insects. The humpback is also found in Russia. It differs from its tropical relatives in simpler body shapes.

The humpback has developed an original way to protect its larvae. When attacked by predators (wasps), the latter secretes a specially smelling secret, which is an alarm signal for an adult insect. Sensing the smell, the humpback whale tries to push the wasp away from the larva with its growths. In addition, the female humpback is constantly near the clutch of eggs, and carefully guards them.

Here is nature-entertainer. You never know what other surprises she might have. This time, the main characters in the embodiment of her fantasy were humpbacks. These are small insects, a distinctive feature of which are outgrowths of the most incredible shape, located on the back. They can be in the form of horns, ridges, balls, thorns, horns, etc. These "constructions" sometimes exceed the dimensions of the humpback itself. Actually, because of them, this insect got its name.

Meet the most impartial insect on our planet. Brazilian humpback or Bocydium globulare

For a reason, evolution has made the Brazilian humpback so ugly. The surreal appearance of the insect scares away predators. Quasi-hillocks in the form of antennae, at the end of which there are balls similar to eyes, are actually chitinous layers that protect the humpback from attacks by predators. Yes, these are the harsh realities of the wilderness. The uglier and scarier you look, the more chances you have to survive. It is in the human world that the opposite rules apply. If a person is sympathetic, then he inspires confidence, therefore, it is easier to achieve success. From the point of view of nature, homo sapiens is an absolutely wrong species. However, this does not prevent us from dominating the planet.

Bizarre spines, hooks and processes are surrounded by bristles, which perform the protective and sensory functions of the humpback.

Brazilian humpbacks belong to the insect class, the Hemiptera order, and the cicada family. Like other members of this family, adult humpbacks and their larvae feed on plant juices.

Humpbacks are widespread throughout the globe; they are not found only in the Arctic latitudes. The largest and most diverse population of these amazing insects lives in the tropical forests of South America. Fierce competition in the tropics for survival made them real monsters.

With a variety of bizarre shapes, Brazilian humpbacks have become a source of inspiration for artists and sculptors. Looking at the creatures depicted in the photographs, you come to the idea that if Salvador Dali had invented insects, they would look exactly like this.

There are about 3200 species of humpbacks in the world. They are common all over the world, well, except for Antarctica. Most of them are inhabitants of the tropics of South America. But some species are also found in temperate latitudes. True, in tropical specimens, the “structures” on the pronotum have more bizarre shapes than those of their northern relatives. In Russia, you can find the horned humpback, but it already has a simpler appearance. In Europe, there are only 3 species of this insect.

Most of these insects live on plants, some can be found in the crown of foliage. The most preferred places are clearings and forest edges surrounded by dense forest. Most species spend part of their life cycle in trees.

The main feature of humpbacks is their intricate outgrowths located on the pronotum. In some species, they are simpler, for example, in the form of an ordinary hump, while in others they are a real work of architectural art. Their main purpose is not clear. Perhaps this is one of the ways of mimicry. Interestingly, males and females of the same species can sometimes have different shapes and colors of their outgrowths.

Despite these "constructions" of impressive size, humpbacks can fly, although they are not important flyers. The flight distance is only a few meters.

Their life cannot be called eventful. Most of the time humpbacks spend on plants and suck their juices. This is their main source of nutrition. It is drunk by both adults and their larvae.

Females lay eggs under the bark, on the surface of the leaves or roots of the plant, on the buds, etc. The eggs are overwintering. For protection, females of some species cover them with a foamy substance, which then hardens and forms a hard shell. In other species, the females guard their eggs and remain with the larvae throughout their development.

The larvae of humpback whales secrete a substance rich in sugar as excrement, it is also called honeydew. The ants liked it. As a result, a kind of mutually beneficial cooperation has developed between the nymphs of humpback beetles and ants: the former "supply" the ants with a sweet substance, and they, in turn, protect them from other insects.

Humpbacks are completely safe for people. True, it's better not to walk barefoot in the meadow where they live. You can run into several horns and thorns.