treehopper

noun

tree·hop·per | \ ˈtrē-ˌhä-pər

Definition of treehopper

: any of a family (Membracidae) of small leaping homopterous insects that feed on the sap especially of shrubs and trees

Examples of treehopper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Morris, who studies entomology, named the species after the pop diva in an attempt to highlight treehoppers. — Danielle Garrand, CBS News, "New bug species named after Lady Gaga due to its "wacky fashion sense"," 10 Mar. 2020 According to researchers, treehoppers suck on plant juices, sing to each other by vibrating plant stems, and are a vital food source for other forest creatures. — Fox News, "Bizarre bug with unusual sex organs and spiky horns named after Lady Gaga," 13 Mar. 2020 The treehopper insect from Nicaragua, known as Kaikaia gaga, certainly brings to mind the singer's bizarre, colorful costumes. — Fox News, "Bizarre bug with unusual sex organs and spiky horns named after Lady Gaga," 13 Mar. 2020 But treehoppers have never gotten their due, according to Brendan Morris, an entomology graduate student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who studied and named the new insect. — Scottie Andrew, CNN, "There's a new insect named for Lady Gaga, and it's every bit as otherworldly as the pop diva," 11 Mar. 2020 The specimen has features that appeared different from the other treehoppers collected. — Danielle Garrand, CBS News, "New bug species named after Lady Gaga due to its "wacky fashion sense"," 10 Mar. 2020 As their name suggests, treehoppers are capable of some amazing acrobatics. — Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian, "Treehoppers’ Bizarre, Wondrous Helmets Use Wing Genes to Grow," 9 Dec. 2019 The case of the treehopper helmet isn’t fully closed, though. — Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian, "Treehoppers’ Bizarre, Wondrous Helmets Use Wing Genes to Grow," 9 Dec. 2019 The disease is transmitted solely by the haplaxius crudus, a tiny winged insect sometimes called the American palm cixiid or, generically, a treehopper. — Washington Post, "Florida’s iconic palm trees threatened by invasive disease," 19 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'treehopper.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.