Unidentified species of Eurycotis and Macrophyllodromia cockroaches approach E. sanguinea from behind or the side and position their mouthparts above the tip of their abdomen. Naskrecki and Nishida have observed cockroaches, moths, butterflies, ants and a land snail that have intercepted this honeydew, and which therefore have a trophobiotic relationship with E. sanguinea. As honeydew still contains nutrients, other animals are attracted to E. sanguinea, intercepting drops of honeydew as they are ejected and feeding on them. They have been observed to feed both at night and during the day, unlike most lantern bugs which only feed at night. They eject honeydew through their anal tube in drops at 0.8 metres (2.6 ft) per second for between three and five seconds, every thirty to sixty seconds.
They must eliminate honeydew so as to avoid fungal contamination and attracting predators. Like all lantern bugs, E. sanguinea feeds on the sap in the phloem of plants and excretes honeydew, a liquid containing excess water and carbohydrates. They have the same male genitalia, and differ only in the patterning of their abdomen. In 1991, Lois O'Brien included two other species that Distant described, E. florens and E. longirostris as being synonymous with E. sanguinea. The type specimen can be found at the Natural History Museum in London. Taxonomy Įnchophora sanguinea was first described in 1887 by the English entomologist William Lucas Distant. On Barro Colorado Island, Panama and at La Selva, they are most commonly found feeding on Simarouba amara, but are also found on Terminalia oblonga and less frequently on Castilla elastica and Ocotea cernua. It is very common at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica, feeding on trees, between six and nine metres (20–30 feet) above the ground. Distribution Įnchophora sanguinea is found in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama and Guatemala, Ecuador and Colombia. They can be distinguished from other Enchophora species with red wings, by the lack of distinctive bands and spots on the pronotum. Their wings are red at the base and brown in the posterior. Like many lantern flies, their head has a scimitar-shaped process attached to it, but the function of it is unknown. The tegmina are covered in a white wax, which is thought to help to protect against predators and parasites. Their tegmina (leathery fore-wings) are also greenish to reddish, but can be darker, and are mottled with orange or red spots but these can fuse to form large areas, the veins are yellow. Their colour varies, but is predominantly greenish to reddish. A specimen of Enchophora sanguinea from an insect collectionĮnchophora sanguinea are approximately 25 millimetres (1.0 in) in length, with males being slightly smaller than females (22–23 mm verses 24–25 mm).
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