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Yes, you answers were correct, but I wasn't quite clear on what I wanted Good answers, and they are fun to play with, aren't they?

Those are the stages yes, but what are they called and what do they look like? The larval stage is the antlion. And the egg is obviously an egg. The other two?

Hm-m-m...the cocoon or pupa is made of silk spun by the larva, is covered with grains of sand, and resembles rabbit droppings covered in sand...

the adult is a winged insect resembling lacewings or vaguely similar to damselflies, but has clubbed antennae, and is nocturnal, often fluttering around night lights or campfires

that's all I can come up with...anybody else?

Sorry Africa, forgot about this one. Yes, I was looking for that "almost like a damselfly" answer. Interesting little critters these.

You're IT

"No niche, it seems goes unfilled. Specialization is likely to be pushed to bizarre, beautiful extremes." E.O. Wilson in "The Diversity of Life"

While he was not speaking of the insect group I have in mind, his description suits it well. The question is: what insect does the following describe?

These insects are weirdly cute, highly ornate, and strikingly bizarre. The young of many species produce a sweet fluid (honeydew) which attracts ants, who guard them and thereby offer protection from predators. Another form of protection is supplied by the strong maternal instincts of their mom-to-be. While they actually locate mates thru courtship calls similar to cicadas, humans are not able to hear these sounds without amplifying equiptment. Savanna and desert species can be found on acacias.

Aphids?

Not aphids.

Butterflies?

Nope, not butterflies.

Three TINY hints....

Africat?!?!? Weird, but beautiful! Are you sure these are from South(ern) Africa? Can't think that I've ever seen anything like that, or photos of!

Treehoppers?

And, then again, it could be the similar leafhoppers?

Yep! Treehoppers!

Finally! I must actually look out for these little denizens as I didn't realise that they were so ornately magnificent!
Could someone else please be IT as I am away for a few days? Imberbe or bishop?

bishop3006,
Just to clarify...those particular photos may not be of South African species, they were just posted to show what the insect looks like in general...I found a photo on the internet of a South African species and took a pic of it, so it is not very good. I would LOVE to see some photos of the species found in that region!

Anyway, the species in the picture was "unidentified" treehopper on the plant Psoralea pinnata (fountain bush, or fonteinbos) which seems to be common in the S.African fynbos, so maybe that would be a place to search for other species. The photo shows them being attended by Anoplolepis steingroeven ants, and while most of the ones shown are still in the immature form, there is one in the upper left that has emerged. Again, excuse the pic quality.