Young Leafhopper

Young Leafhopper, originally uploaded by Pipsissiwa.
I adore these tiny insects, who are very cute and have awesome antennae. Easy to miss as they sit on blades of grass, they can hop with tremendous force when alarmed.

Green Shield Bug (Palomena prasina)

Green Shield Bug (Palomena prasina), originally uploaded by Pipsissiwa.

I do like invertebrate silhouettes. What you lose in details, you gain in beauty. I like to try to capture portraits of invertebrates, not just clear taxonomic images. These large green bugs are all over my garden in the summer. I remember discovering, as a child, that you don't pick them up. If you do, they have a nasty habit of oozing stinky yellow stuff all over you that will not wash off. I handle them now, but the trick is to let them walk onto you rather than grabbing.

Common Froghopper (Philaenus spumarius)

Common Froghopper (Philaenus spumarius), originally uploaded by Pipsissiwa.

This is the most likely animal to be the adult of those cute yellow larvae that hide under cuckoo-spit froth on plant stems in the spring. There are a number of similar species, but this is by far the most common. There is some variation in colouring, from pale brown to dark, even stripes. This photo shows the sucking mouthparts (like a built in straw) that indicate that it is a true bug. They have powerful legs that allow them to hop into the air for long distances when alarmed.

Horned Treehopper (Centrotus cornutus)

Horned Treehopper (Centrotus cornutus), originally uploaded by Pipsissiwa.

I was hugely excited to find this chap. One of only 2 species in the UK, this large (10mm) treehopper is very distinctive. The pronotum is long and curves back over the abdomen, and bears 'horns' on either side. There really is nothing else like it.

Green Shield Bug (Palomena prasina) Nymph

Green Shield Bug (Palomena prasina) Nymph, originally uploaded by Pipsissiwa.

A very common large (12-14mm as adult ) shield bug (Family: Pentatomiae). The nymphs begin almost totally black and each instar becomes progressively more green and shield shaped. Darkens to brown in late autumn before it hibernates.

Tree Damsel Bug (Himacerus apterus)

Tree Damsel Bug (Himacerus apterus), originally uploaded by Pipsissiwa.

A large bug (8-12mm) with good mottled brown camouflage colouration. The wings are usually shorter than the abdomen. It feeds on small insects and mites, typically on deciduous trees. This one made a good attempt at feeding on me. It sat on my hand for a few minutes and then stabbed its mouth parts into my fingertip. I can vouch for how strong and sharp they are! I just had a small red mark for an hour or so and it was a teeny bit tender, but my the evening it was all gone.