2.2. Egg brochosomes
These brochosomes are produced by only females from certain genera of the leafhopper tribe Proconiini and only when a female is getting ready to oviposit (lay eggs). The female places the secretion onto the forewings, where it forms white spots. During the oviposition, it scrapes the brochosomes off the spots onto the egg slits, making a neat coat. More about use of brochosomes in oviposition...
In most species, the egg brochosomes have the elongate, rodlike or even filiform shape, reaching up to 20.0 µm in length. The structure of these particles varies dramatically. It provides valuable characters for identification and classification of species of the tribe Proconiini. Some species of this group are major vectors of the phytopatogenic bacterium Xylella. Brochosomes can be helpful for identification of eggs of such species.
Egg brochosomes of six different species of Proconiini. See more images in EGG BROCHOSOMES IMAGE DATABASE.
 
Internal structure of egg brochosomes also varies among leafhopper species:

  A brochosome with a spongy internal skeleton  (longitudinal section)

 A broken tubular brochosome

 
Read more: Rakitov 2004, Rakitov & Godoy 2005.
Development of egg brochosomes
Use of brochosomes in oviposition
Integumental brochosomes
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