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About Eric R. Eaton
Expertise
I can answer most questions related to wasps, solitary bees, grasshoppers and katydids, beetles, cicadas, and spiders, and identification of "mystery bugs" in North America. No "what bit me?" or "what do I feed this bug in captivity?" questions please.

Experience
Principal author, Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America. Professional entomologist employed previously at University of Massachusetts, Chase Studio, Inc., and Cincinnati Zoo; contract work for West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, Smithsonian Institution, and Portland (Oregon) State University.

Organizations
Entomological Society of America, National Association of Science Writers

Publications
Author, Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America, Missouri Conservationist magazine, Ranger Rick, Timeline (journal of the Ohio Historical Society). I have contributed to several books as well.

Education/Credentials
Oregon State University, undergraduate major in entomology, did not receive degree.

Past/Present Clients
Principal author of the Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America, Smithsonian Institution (contract), Cincinnati Zoo (employer), Portland State University (contract), Chase Studio, Inc (employer), Arkansas Museum of Discovery (guest speaker). Currently seeking employment in a highly creative work environment with a media corporation or non-profit.

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Entomology (Study of Bugs) - Honduran cicada?

Expert: Eric R. Eaton - 11/5/2009

Question

Honduran cicada?

On September 8, 2007 I noted this (and numerous other identical) insects all laying eggs in similar clusters on the underside of leaves on a small tree. The tree had somewhat leathery leaves... perhaps a ficus of some sort? The location was within 100 feet of the ocean on the west end of the Honduran island of Roatan. I initially thought the insect was a type of fly - but am now convinced it is a cicada of some type. It seems to be morphologically similar to the Emerald cicada, Zammara smaragdina, from Honduras - photo at this site:

http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/Honduras/Hemiptera/Zammara%20smaragdina.htm

Over the last two years, I have contacted a series of individuals looking for help with ID, to no avail. Can you help?

Answer
Karen:

Thank you for including your own image with your question. It is definitely NOT a cicada.

The angle of the image is awkward, but I'm pretty certain this is some kind of sawfly, a type of stingless wasp. The larvae are vegetarian and closely resemble caterpillars of butterflies and moths....

I'd encourage you to send your image to the webmaster at:

http://www.whatsthatbug.com

His name is Daniel Marlos, and you can tell him I sent you. He is pretty good at tracking down insect identifications from places other than the U.S. You could also post your image yourself to:

http://www.bugguide.net

in the "ID Request" section, again explaining that I told you to do so. That website restricts the images it retains to those of insects found in North America north of Mexico, BUT, anyone is welcome to post insects from elsewhere for purposes of identification. David Smith, a sawfly expert at the Smithsonian, visits on occasion and might recognize this one right off.

Thanks again for sharing your observations!

Eric

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