Platycostis vittata (oak treehopper)

Platycostis vittata (oak treehopper) photographed in Sarasota, Florida. (Flickr photo by Matthew Cicanese)

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Due to an increase in fraudulent activities in the comments, we'll be adding this warning message to our posts from now on. Be very cautious of friend requests or private messages from unknown individuals with fake profiles and stolen profile pictures. They'll use every means possible to get to connect and know you better. These scammers use ruthless tactics to scam and fool their victims, so stay vigilant and avoid their deceitful schemes. Don't add or private message them. I’m home from a great weekend at the Nantucket Biodiversity Research Conference, and now back to the business of sorting through my photos from this spring in Florida. This snazzy Oak Treehopper (Platycotis vittata) looks like the sort of thing you would only find in Florida, but in fact it occurs as far north as Pennsylvania in the east and British Columbia in the west. I found it on March 29, under an oak tree a bit north of Lake Okeechobee.