DC Nature shared a report on insects called treehoppers, which have been officially recorded by researchers Marco de Haas and Kees den Bieman. They also discovered a new species that lives on Bonaire and Curaçao: Philya cobbeni. 

In 2022, a scientific expedition to Bonaire led to an exciting discovery about the biodiversity of the Dutch Caribbean. Researchers Marco de Haas and Kees den Bieman studied tiny insects called treehoppers. They found that these insects had never been officially recorded in the Dutch Caribbean before. By studying newly collected insects and older specimens kept at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, the researchers identified ten different treehopper species on the islands. They also discovered a new species for science, called Philya cobbeni, which lives on Bonaire and Curaçao. 

A Hidden World of Treehoppers

Treehoppers are tiny insects that feed on plants. Most are only a few millimeters long, but they are known for their unusual shapes and interesting looks. The study found that treehoppers live on all six islands of the Dutch Caribbean. Many of the species that were found are still not well understood, and some may even be new species that have not yet been officially described. One exciting discovery was the new species Philya cobbeni, which lives on native plants such as Acacia and divi-divi (Caesalpinia coriaria). This shows that there is still a lot to learn about the insect life of the Dutch Caribbean. [. . .]

For full article and drawings, see https://dcnanature.org/treehoppers/