When you think about it, the real world is almost equally as magical as it’s portrayed in cartoons and fantasy movies. There are foxes out there who like to collect crocs, chickens who work at auto shops, doggies who help kids cross the street safely, and tiny birds that look straight out of a fairytale.
Today, let’s upgrade this list with another incredible creature. Some time ago, talented nature photographer Andreas Kay uploaded a short video to his YouTube channel capturing something that sort of looks like a walking piece of popcorn.
This flatid planthopper nymph from the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador is covered with waxy filaments for protection
Image credits: Andreas Kay
This walking cloud or a kernel of popcorn with tiny legs is actually an insect from Ecuador called the flatid planthopper. “This tiny flatid planthopper nymph from the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador is covered with waxy filaments for protection,” the photographer wrote in the description of the video.
The wax coating that they secrete when moving around can turn them into little clouds with legs
Image credits: Andreas Kay
The flatid planthopper is a tiny bug whose name comes from the fact that they often “hop” from one plant to another when moving around. The video by Andrea Kay captures a nymph of the insect.
Flatid planthopper nymphs are light green with faint longitudinal orange stripes, though these colors are often masked by a flocculent wax coating that they secrete when moving around, turning them into little clouds with legs.
The video capturing the little cutie was shot and uploaded to YouTube by nature photographer Andreas Kay
An adult flatid planthopper has wings that are completely white or with a slight shade of pale green. Their eyes can be red, green, white, or yellow. These insects drink plant juice from stems, but don’t cause significant harm to the plant itself. However, these bugs may leave a white, waxy residue on branches and leaves, making it appear a bit unattractive.
Image credits: David Weiller
Another nature photographer, David Weiller, has also captured a similar-looking flatid planthopper nymph and posted the video on his YouTube channel. “Flatid planthopper nymph from the Amazon rainforest of Puyo, Ecuador. This tiny planthopper nymph features wax-like protrusion used for protection and maybe also to mimic a spider or bird droppings on a leaf, concealing itself from potential predators,” Weiller writes in the description of the video.
Another video capturing a similar-looking nymph was shared on YouTube by photographer David Weiller
Here’s how people reacted to this walking piece of popcorn
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