Day 276/18. Rhododendron Leafhopper.

A foray into the garden with the macro lens in this afternoons sun. The bugs are getting fewer now as winter approaches.... but this Rhododendron Leafhopper was also enjoying the sun and posed nicely.
This large (for a leafhopper, its about 1cm long) and striking species is native to the USA, where it is known as the scarlet and green leafhopper. It was introduced to Europe in the early 1900s, and can now be found widely in southern Britain. Both adults and larvae feed on Rhododendron, and it is one of the few insects to use this shrub as a foodplant.
Yes, we do have a lot of Rhododendrons, but this chap must be a sunseeker as he was sitting on a Pyrrhus.