Muirolonia is a rare genus of tiny planthoppers belonging to the family Cixiidae. Unlike many of their nocturnal relatives, these elusive insects are active during the daylight hours, feeding quietly on the undersides of leaves in humid tropical understories. While adults feed on phloem sap high up in the foliage, their immature nymphs live underground, feeding on root sap within subterranean micro-habitats. To locate mates in the dense rainforest vegetation, they rely on complex vibrational and acoustic courtship signals transmitted directly through plant stems. I encountered this gorgeous planthopper with rich velvety texture of his wing covers while exploring the lush undergrowth of Nanegalito, a small Ecuadorian village nestled on the edge of the world-famous Mindo Valley.