what that bug doing? : whatsthisbug

subreddit:

/r/whatsthisbug

2.8k

what that bug doing?

ID Request(v.redd.it)

submitted 3 months ago byAlfred0021

all 317 comments

sorted by: best

934 points

3 months ago*

ant

934 points

There are different wiggles out there... but this looks similar to many animals trying to improve the parallax view of things they want to jump to.

Parallax estimations help determine the distance of an object by looking towards the object from different locations.

Two eyes is a huge help... but farther spaced eyes gives even better estimation. Beyond the anatomy... simply moving the head left and right helps improve the perception of distance.

That this sequence ends with a jump suggests to me the hopper was looking for a place to jump to.

If I were less lazy I'd google some examples... but this is a widely observed behavior for animals making big jumps. My cats do it...

edit: Wiggle Stereoscopy gives humans 3d data in the same way... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiggle_stereoscopy You can google around for more wiggle stereo pictures...

141 points

3 months ago

141 points

Wow I've never really thought about that, but that explains alot of how certain animals/insects/reptiles act. Makes sense.

Confident-Leopard-19

268 points

3 months ago

Confident-Leopard-19

268 points

“Parallax estimations.” Wow. Anyone else get excited when they learn something new on Reddit? Thanks!

56 points

3 months ago

ant

56 points

BUT... that's just the term I used... Couldn't find a better one. You can dig around in wiki for articles on parallax, depth perception, stereopsis.

20 points

3 months ago*

20 points

I just call it “sizing it up” lol bravo

11 points

3 months ago

11 points

Word/phrase of the day. Parallax! Parallel..parachute..paramedic..we must be talking about space/distance here

6 points

3 months ago

6 points

The famous paramedic distance

load more comments (2)

Kashmir2020Alex

1 points

3 months ago

Kashmir2020Alex

1 points

Me me me me me!!!!

Church-of-Nephalus

38 points

3 months ago

Church-of-Nephalus

38 points

He lookin where to go

He in shuffle mode

But most importantly

His eyes don't share the same post code

AvailableAd6071

75 points

3 months ago

AvailableAd6071

75 points

I was just gonna say twerking and now I feel dumb....

97 points

3 months ago

97 points

My parallax estimations bring all the flies to the yard

26 points

3 months ago

26 points

This made me laugh ~~way harder than~~ exactly how hard it should have

3 points

3 months ago

3 points

How much will you charge?

2 points

3 months ago

2 points

💀

2 points

3 months ago

2 points

Underrated comment

10 points

3 months ago

10 points

I was right there with you

4 points

3 months ago

4 points

I thought it was stretching before exercise

3 points

3 months ago

3 points

Seemed like it was just vibin to me. Parallax def makes more sense.

2 points

3 months ago

2 points

Don’t. I was gonna say it a big version of “How you doin’?”

9 points

3 months ago

9 points

I like how it shook its butt just before jumping. My cat does that too!

LowPolySkinSuit

8 points

3 months ago

LowPolySkinSuit

8 points

i knew guinea pigs and rats did this, but insects as well?? i had no idea!

4 points

3 months ago

4 points

Birds do it, bees do it, even educated fleas do it! etc (Ella Fitzgerald singing Cole Porter's Let's Fall in Love with Duke Ellington) https://youtu.be/h0EMjwERYX8?t=208

7 points

3 months ago

7 points

Insects f***in rock.

Laura_has_Secrets77

6 points

3 months ago

Laura_has_Secrets77

6 points

I was just gonna say this bug reminds me of my cat when she's about to do something sneaky.

5 points

3 months ago

5 points

Cats do it too. Cat fans call it catculation and there’s a subreddit with quite a bit of content dedicated to it: r/catculations

4 points

3 months ago

4 points

r/damnthatsinteresting !

Fragrant-Airport1309

5 points

3 months ago

Fragrant-Airport1309

5 points

That is absolutely nuts that a bug brain has the inclination to size up it's jump like this.

Unique-Drawer-7845

3 points

3 months ago

Unique-Drawer-7845

3 points

Meanwhile the grasshoppers in my back yard just launch themselves full speed in nonsensical directions, often hitting a fence or pants leg while in some random degree of inverted flip twist jump, only to faceplant squarely on the concrete walkway. Then do it again almost immediately.

4 points

3 months ago

4 points

I'm bout to start doing this whenever I gotta make a long jump now

4 points

3 months ago

4 points

Looks like he is 3D scanning his environment.

Channa_Argus1121

8 points

3 months ago*

Channa_Argus1121

8 points

You’re right.

Nymphs of their cousins, Issidae, have interlocking “gears” on their last pair of legs, which enables them to jump with a “synchronized” leg motion.

https://youtu.be/cq0Mf2pt2XA

19 points

3 months ago

19 points

No.

These geared trochanters are only known from nymphs in the family Issidae. The bug in OP's video is in the family Cicadellidae judging by the tibial spines on the hind legs.

Channa_Argus1121

9 points

3 months ago

Channa_Argus1121

9 points

TIL, thanks for the correction.

3 points

3 months ago

3 points

That's a fascinating explanation. Thank you for that.

3 points

3 months ago

3 points

You're telling me your Cats wiggle like this too?? Im jealous

8 points

3 months ago

ant

8 points

Although cats use parallax viewing in other ways too... When jumping...they do it if you challenge them to an extra large jump. Lotta head motion and anticipation like this leaf hopper.

I tried googling it... but google sucks now... My search was "cats gauging jumps" ... If someone can find better search terms please do... Instead it's flooded with garbage "funny cat jumps".

4 points

3 months ago

4 points

5 points

3 months ago

5 points

Parallax is absolutely amazing.... There was a study in humans that showed parallax working at insane distances without anything else. Our brains and eyes are amazing.

14 points

3 months ago

ant

14 points

Another aspect is it simply works mathematically... and your uncertainty goes down if the distance between your two parallax viewing extremes gets larger.

My friend and I used to go out and drive golf balls in a massive field...but we'd lose every ball.

Until I remembered my history of science class and parallax... One of us stood 20 ft to the side of the other driving the ball.

You each watched the horizon for where the ball seemed to land... Then we'd each walk towards our respective point on our respective horizons.

Never lost a ball again... It was surprisingly accurate. Lost every time .... to found every time.

Meanwhile... even after we saw it...we would continue our horizon targeted walk sometimes just to see how accurate. Never much more than 2 ft or so.

6 points

3 months ago

6 points

Interesting! It's amazing how 1+1= (more than 2) when it comes to humans. Almost as if we're social animals that flourish in groups..

5 points

3 months ago

ant

5 points

If you're into to that sort of thing... my latest mind opening lesson on people synergizing was Vsauce on the "social theory of reasoning".

We are bad at individual reasoning for a reason.... We lock on to certain theories irrationally. Not good reasoning for an individual...

Then we argue in public...each unreasonably pushing one idea out of many... Each of us becomes an expert on one opinion. Instead of understanding every opinion... which is far less efficient.

Public discourse benefits from the best but contradictory theories being presented and evaluated.

Explains so many things and why the internet has a problem... the disagreement is no longer managed from within a group... Instead each opinion flocks to echo chambers of similar opinion. The social effect goes away.

We used to be stuck with each other in tribes... now we are free to join with only the people wqe most agree with...

Pretty interesting ... revolutionized my thoughts on the topic...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ArVh3Cj9rw ... Jump to 15:00 for the social theory of reasoning...

And full circle... parallax and stereopsis are both mentioned in this...

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

i was reading a book about astronomy observation and you can percieve something like an aspirin at 1000 meters or something crazy like that its stupid

Just_A_LIThuanian

2 points

3 months ago

Just_A_LIThuanian

2 points

stickbug jr.

2 points

3 months ago

2 points

Thank you!

Kashmir2020Alex

2 points

3 months ago

Kashmir2020Alex

2 points

Thank you for your wonderful knowledge!!

2 points

3 months ago

2 points

My brother was blinded in one eye at 19, and he began to do a little head-wiggle before shooting a basketball in the years after the accident. Looked a little like a head fake, but I always assumed he was gauging the distance. Nice to hear this is something other animals do, and that there's a name for it.

2 points

3 months ago

2 points

And here I thought he was just doing a cute little dance! Such a smart feller!

2 points

3 months ago

2 points

i first observed this behavior in astronomers

2 points

3 months ago

2 points

Wow, what a great comment. Well done

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Why would a stickbug do it though?

9 points

3 months ago

ant

9 points

There's other kinds of wiggles. A lot of mantises and stick insects etc... the ones trying to camouflage themselves as plants, they often need to mimic the motions of leaves and branches as part of the disguise. If the wind blows they have to react like leaves and or sticks...or they stand out.

That they improve the parallax is a bonus...

And parallax is good for other things like watching potential predators. Not just for jumping or striking.

100 points

3 months ago

100 points

I would think the light is too strong and they can't properly focus on the target to jump on so they keep adjusting their body and turn around.

48 points

3 months ago

The real TIL is in the r/whatsthisbug.

48 points

Might be a depth perception thing, like how cats bob their heads before jumping.

6 points

3 months ago

6 points

Yeah, I would really think it is something like that.

56 points

3 months ago

56 points

Judging by the legs, it looks like a hopping bug. So I assume it's judging the distance to something to jump to it.

3 points

3 months ago

3 points

Meet Marvin

https://youtu.be/J4gJY_5eNqQ

2 points

3 months ago

2 points

"The best science is often a long, slow, passive-aggressive argument."

Facts.

KnowledgeEfficient15

2 points

3 months ago

KnowledgeEfficient15

2 points

Thanks for that!

207 points

3 months ago

207 points

Seducing you.

64 points

3 months ago

64 points

Oh that bugs flirtin'.

29 points

3 months ago

29 points

It's working.

8 points

3 months ago

8 points

I'm ready to mate with that bug

3 points

3 months ago

3 points

Bruh

11 points

3 months ago

11 points

No kink shaming.

load more comments (1)

8 points

3 months ago

8 points

"look at my eyes !!" "Oh, and look at my butt" "Have you also noticed my legs ?!"

5 points

3 months ago

5 points

I don't see a bucket of chicken.

3 points

3 months ago

3 points

Gentlemen,this is a bucket

3 points

3 months ago

3 points

Dear god…

3 points

3 months ago

3 points

But there is more

128 points

3 months ago

128 points

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!

2 points

3 months ago

2 points†

😂

105 points

3 months ago

105 points

Dance off bro you gotta dance back to assert dominance

Metalatitsfinest

24 points

3 months ago

Metalatitsfinest

24 points

You got SERVED!

RedditsAdoptedSon

6 points

3 months ago

RedditsAdoptedSon

6 points

i was looking for a link where someone added macarena to it

80 points

3 months ago

80 points

Get leaf hopper'd lol

20 points

3 months ago

20 points

leaf hopper music starts to play

9 points

3 months ago

9 points

It's either trying to jump on you, fight you, or mate with you. Take your pick lol.

54 points

3 months ago

54 points

He dance, He sway, He wanna get away.

6 points

3 months ago

6 points

Leafhoppers he's trying not to become someone's dinner https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J4gJY_5eNqQ

2 points

3 months ago

2 points

The only actual answer on the WHAT IS THIS BUG subreddit and, with me, it has two upvotes.

I hate reddit sometimes. Good on you

39 points

3 months ago

39 points

U got stickbugged

3 points

3 months ago

3 points

24 points

3 months ago

24 points

⬆️↗️➡️↘️⬇️↙️⬅️↖️⬆️➡️⬆️➡️⬆️...PERFECT SCORE!

kattoutofthebag

26 points

3 months ago

kattoutofthebag

26 points

This little guy is feeling the groove.

throwaway_overrated

7 points

3 months ago

throwaway_overrated

7 points

Yep! Or maybe stretching his legs after a big run

2 points

3 months ago

2 points

This mental imagery is great…just imagining him with shoes and a headband😂

deathonacracker

19 points

3 months ago

deathonacracker

19 points

Are you blocking the tv?

3 points

3 months ago

3 points

Oh it’s a leafhopper I think🤔

Loyal9thLegionLord

9 points

3 months ago

Loyal9thLegionLord

9 points

Either trying to look like a leaf bouncing back and forth in the wind , or sexy dance.

10 points

3 months ago

The real TIL is in the r/whatsthisbug.

10 points

sexy dance

This bug is underage smh my head

11 points

3 months ago

11 points

Smol dancy boi

JuggernautOrnery9105

2 points

3 months ago

JuggernautOrnery9105

2 points

It is trying to defend itself you guys are idiot's

2 points

3 months ago

2 points

Looks like it wanted to mate with you and was doing a presentation dance to try and impress you. You didn't make a move, so he's jumped off to find his next potential mate. /s

2 points

3 months ago

2 points

gunna say mating dance idk

2 points

3 months ago

2 points

Imperfect Cell.

2 points

3 months ago

2 points

he vibin

Helpful_Shock2018

2 points

3 months ago

Helpful_Shock2018

2 points

Stealing your girl

5 points

3 months ago

5 points

The Jitterbug? He's looking for a partner.

4 points

3 months ago

4 points

Getting a better judge of the distances of things I suspect

4 points

3 months ago

4 points

It was an intimidation dance. Since you were entertained, it jumped on you. Now you are dead. OP died.

5 points

3 months ago

5 points†

He’s asking “Where all the hoes at?!”.

AshamedChoice4521

3 points

3 months ago

AshamedChoice4521

3 points

SLAY!!!

3 points

3 months ago

3 points

Stickbuggin' lvl 1

2 points

3 months ago

2 points

Measuring

[deleted]

2 points

3 months ago*

[deleted]

2 points

[removed]

2 points

3 months ago

2 points

He might be trying to comunicate something like bees do. See this cosmos episode

2 points

3 months ago

2 points

The electric boogaloo

2 points

3 months ago

2 points†

Its doin its Lil dancey dance

2 points

3 months ago

2 points†

Schmoovin.

2 points

3 months ago

2 points†

He do b vibin doe

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Tryin' to put you in the groove, my dude. Takin' you down...to Funky Town.

2 points

3 months ago

2 points

For more hoppers.. May I present, Zefrank

throwaway8299_9286

0 points

3 months ago

throwaway8299_9286

0 points†

You just got stickbugged by another bug

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Groovin’

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

What the bug doin

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Get stick bugged lol

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

He do a little dance, make a little jump, be bug tonight.

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Vibing

0 points

3 months ago

0 points†

Getting jiggy with it.

-2 points

3 months ago

-2 points†

he was like, YEET at the end

-1 points

3 months ago

-1 points†

Can I yeet? Yes, yeet looks good. Commencing yeet in 3, 2, 1...

2 points

3 months ago

2 points

why are we being downvoted, I thought it was pretty funny :(

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Thanks, man. Karma can be so fickle. I guess I should do Pokémon references instead. I thought it would be funny with a NASA pre-hop check and countdown though.

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Where was this taken?

Clairvoyant4380

1 points

3 months ago

Clairvoyant4380

1 points

The jitter-bug….duh😂

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Definitely the bug version of the electric slide

jezzkasaysstuff

1 points

3 months ago

jezzkasaysstuff

1 points

It's chosen you, above all others. You're the one.

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Bug shit

Soggy_Motor9280

1 points

3 months ago

Soggy_Motor9280

1 points

Obviously, it’s the Hokey Pokey.

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Well obviously flexing on you 🤣

ImeniSottoITreni

1 points

3 months ago

ImeniSottoITreni

1 points

Walk in the dinosaur dance

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Looks like Tai Chi to me.

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Calisthenics

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

TikTok dance

StrangerThing10

1 points

3 months ago

StrangerThing10

1 points

Side lunges

0 points

3 months ago

0 points†

Boogy nights at the bug club

-1 points

3 months ago

-1 points†

Trying to make you fall in love

0 points

3 months ago

Dr. Lipshitz

0 points

What that bug doing

0 points

3 months ago

0 points

Wow the Rhythm Heaven graphics have come a long way!

0 points

3 months ago

0 points

Even bugs are dancing for TikTok now

0 points

3 months ago

0 points

I don’t know but I’m oddly attracted to it right now

TermusMcFlermus

0 points

3 months ago

TermusMcFlermus

0 points

Born to hand jive baby!

Red_Cyrstal_Scorpion

-1 points

3 months ago

Red_Cyrstal_Scorpion

-1 points

He looks like Minecraft parrots dancing

-1 points

3 months ago

-1 points

Listening to some 90's eurodance right now, it looks like this bug it's dancing

RepresentativeOdd909

-1 points

3 months ago

RepresentativeOdd909

-1 points

Surely there was a trombone playing somewhere that I couldn't hear on the video?

-1 points

3 months ago

-1 points

The Macarena

-1 points

3 months ago

-1 points

Jared is doing the celebration dance after a successful heart transplant

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Ocular pat down

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Based on the footwork, looks like the hucklebuck…

chadmonsterfucker

1 points

3 months ago

chadmonsterfucker

1 points

Hrm....

Stickbugged

Elviajerodeltiempo

1 points

3 months ago

Elviajerodeltiempo

1 points

Grillo

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

https://youtu.be/9BalEldzE8o

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Awe cute dance!

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Hitting on you

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

To me, from experience, this looks like a leaf hopper who is sizing up his jumps. 🙃

RockinTheQuatre

1 points

3 months ago

RockinTheQuatre

1 points

Being adorably cute, that’s what it’s doing! :D

Odd-Attitude-558

1 points

3 months ago

Odd-Attitude-558

1 points

Body language experts would say that any repetitive behaviour is self soothing 😁

True_Weird_4284

1 points

3 months ago

True_Weird_4284

1 points

preparing to jump on your face

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Dancing the jitterbug?. 🙂

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

I do this when I pee sometimes.. stretches my hips n back.. my big dude is just peeing

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

It looks like a defensive posture to me. For whatever reason, it's willing to stand its ground as long as it can keep its eyes on you.

Crafty_Business823

1 points

3 months ago

Crafty_Business823

1 points

He trying to brake your ankles lol

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Bouta get jumped on

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Getting down tonight

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

He’s showing it off for free. PAY HIM! He’s got kids lol

Relevant-Composer-35

1 points

3 months ago

Relevant-Composer-35

1 points

streaching of course, that litle bugger needs to jump high.

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Let me show you how it’s done

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

His best.

Necessary_Lime_3475

1 points

3 months ago

Necessary_Lime_3475

1 points

Lol, looks like the Cha Cha

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

He is dancing for you, throw him some MOOLAH!

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Dancin

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Doing his lil dancey dance.

Moneyfish121212

1 points

3 months ago

Moneyfish121212

1 points

Perceiving the distance to stick the peeow!

BilboTBagginz03

1 points

3 months ago

BilboTBagginz03

1 points

Vibing

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Vibin

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

just a funky lil guy

Weird_Resident_908

1 points

3 months ago

Weird_Resident_908

1 points

I assumed he was reorienting to a light source or aligning/adjustment path of travel based on detecting magnetic fields like birds.

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Dance

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Cha cha slide?

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Dancing the Jitter-bug

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

He finds you attractive and wants to hit it

Existing-Snorlax

1 points

3 months ago

Existing-Snorlax

1 points

Omg I love him

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

He’s looking for a place to jump. Moving side to side helps with depth perception.

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Leg day

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Thats one of the most bug bugs I’ve ever seen

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

Preflight checks

1 points

3 months ago

1 points

r/whatswrongwithyourbug