Vishay Singh

Author Vishay Singh

Two leafhoppers mating. (Credit: Umberto Salvagnin) For the amount of damage they can cause, leafhoppers are tiny little bastards. One invasive species, the glassy-winged sharpshooter, is only about 12mm long, but the insects are responsible for millions of dollars of damage to crops every year. They use needle-like mouthparts to vacuum up plant sap, at the same time dispersing Xylella fastidiosa, a bacteria that can spread things like phony peach disease, periwinkle wilt, and citrus variegate ...read more

Author Vishay Singh

Fissure 8 lava fountain and flow, seen on June 10, 2018. USGS/HVO. The eruption that started near Leilani Estates on KÄ«lauea’s Lower East Rift Zone is now in its second month and so far, there is little to indicate that the eruption might be ending soon. Fissure 8 (webcam) is still the dominant player in the eruption, currently erupting three lava fountains that reach ~50 meters (~180 feet) and feed the lava flows that have erased Kapoho Bay. What†...read more