Beautiful Brochosomes

Brochosomes are microscopic particles made of protein, which are produced and secreted by the Malpighian tubules of leafhoppers (family Cicadellidae). All leafhoppers produce brochosomes, but they don't all use them for the same purpose. The most common use of brochosomes is to coat the leafhopper's body in a water-proof layer (as protection from rain and excrement). But the females of certain genera from the tribe Proconiini have another use for them: to protect their eggs once they lay them in plant tissue. Just before they lay their eggs, the females secrete a special kind of brochosome and put it on their forewings, where it dries as chalky white spots. Then they insert their eggs into the plant, and with their hind-legs they scrape the brochosomes off onto the eggs, forming a neat, water-proof layer.

Oncometopia orbona, the Broad-headed Sharpshooter, is a member of the tribe Proconiini, and I recently found a specimen resting on a Rhododendron stem, with egg brochosomes on her forewings. As you can see, she got a little messy in applying it!

References:
http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/~rakitov/brochosomes.html (lots of good info!)
http://imperialis.inhs.illinois.edu/takiya/broch1.asp?key=854&sp=orbona+(F.) (photos of brochosomes as seen through microscope)