All's Well on Our Oaks!

 I check the lower branches of the California Black Oaks along my driveway every day, but I thought it would be a couple more weeks before the Oak Treehoppers returned.  But, they showed up today.  They are my version of the swallows returning to San Juan Capistrano, an indicator that all's well with nature (even though it isn't).  I can't explain my excitement over these little critters.  Perhaps one thing is the amazing metamorphosis during which the bright black, white and red striped young become orange-spotted, olive drab adults.  There's an adult on the far left in the top photo.  Sometimes the adults become white with longitudinal red stripes, which is also amazing.

 Here's a closer view.  They remind me of exotic little toy cars. 

Buds on a neighboring branch are a similar shape and color as the adult treehoppers, although I don't see camouflage as being significant.  I'm finding the treehoppers pretty easy to spot.  They're quite small, so I think most people don't know about them because they just don't look that closely at oak branches.  I haven't seen birds or other animals prey upon them, so I wonder how they taste.