Field Notes: Sharpshooter Insects (Patreon)

Coming up on Deep Look next week is a new episode about sharpshooter insects! While beautiful, they transmit a devastating disease that kills grapevines. When it's time to mate, they shake their abdomens to make strange calls that sound like a clucking chicken, a howling monkey or a motorcycle revving up. 

Back in early March before social distancing due to the coronavirus was required, producer Gabriela Quirós and cinematographer Josh Cassidy headed to Parlier, California to work with U.S. Department of Agriculture entomologist Rodrigo Krugner. He’s been studying how to use their calls to trick them into not mating.

The Deep Look team and Krugner set up two potted grapevines at the USDA research facility to film the sharpshooter insects in action. In this photo, Krugner points a laser towards a grapevine where the sharpshooters are calling each other by vibrating their abdomens. The laser picks up their vibrations and turns them into sounds that we can hear. He's also erected a black foam wall to help soundproof the partially-covered table on which he records their calls. 

You can learn more when this episode premieres on Tuesday, May 19. Our Patreon supporters will get an early look this Friday, May 15!

Photo Credits: Gabriela Quirós/KQED