Red Eye But No Drops Necessary

treehopper with red eye resting vertically

A treehopper nestles itself between stems of a milkweed (?) plant in the hope of being inconspicuous.

I’m sure this treehopper is not suffering from eye strain, but that’s a striking eye it has. I, on the other hand, am having a bit of a vision strain, so it’s off to the eye doctor for a long overdue visit. Hopefully, this will help clear up my “focusing” problems.
I took this photo last year, in August, I believe, when I could still see confidently (odd phrase but true!), and it was the first time I have seen this kind of treehopper. Curious coloration. A quick BugGuide.net search, places me tentatively at Micrutalis calva, or the Honeylocust Treehopper. It’s species name “calva” apparently means “bald or smooth” which is certainly apt. BugGuide also notes it is polyphagous, which makes me wonder what the association with honeylocust is.

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