A Flatida

Fairy tale bugs

ByJan

These are some of the magical things I saw in the Borneo jungle. One is called cotton bug. The other is the lantern bug. Guide Lan showed them to us at the Kinabatangan River.

Cotton Bug eggs. I would not have noticed, but Lan new.

Cutton Bug as eggs.
Stage 1: Eggs

Then Cotton Bug – potentially Flatidae – fully developed. Looks fluffy, can walk and jump. It is about 2cm. I learned later that it is actually a fungus growing on the bug, killing it eventually.

Cotton Bug as nymph
Stage 2: Cotton-bug

And then the lantern bug – Fulgoridae. A wonder. Especially in the night, when lighted with a torch, it looks amazing. About 4cm.

Stage 3: fully developed Cotton Bug
Lantern Bug
Lantern Bugs

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