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| sciName | description | abundance | habitat | food | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ossiannilssonola serrula | A plain and largely uniformly colored yellowish species. The head, pronotum, and scutellum are light yellow. The forewings are typically a bold sulfur yellow color, though can range to yellow-orange and even red-orange in some specimens; the wings are subhyaline before the apical crossveins and lack any black or brown spots anterior the apical crossveins in the inner three basal cells. The apical cells are hyaline and the apical veins are yellow; the hind wing also has yellow venation. The abdomen and plates are completely yellow. Adults are 3.5-3.75 mm long. (Christian, 1953) For more images of this species, see: BG. | Recorded recently from the Piedmont but likely under-collected and probably occurs throughout the state. | Mixed hardwood forest. | Acer saccharum (Christian, 1953) | ||||||||
| Oncopsis truncatus | Males have a face that is distinctly bowed in profile, and the pronotum is arched and strongly declivous anteriorly. Males are ferruginous, with the face marked black on the lower half; the legs are tawny yellow. The tegmina is a deep ferruginous in the males, darker along the costa, the crossveins, the apex, and along the commissure between the pale markings/spots. Females have a weakly bowed face that recedes in profile. Females are ferruginous overall, being darker on the scutellum; sometimes they have a fuscous band across the pleura. The legs are pale ferruginous to tawny yellow and are conspicuously banded, with the femora being ferruginous, chocolate-brown, or blackish-brown color. The tegmina is similar to the male's, but paler and semihyaline ferruginous; usually it is not as dark on the costa compared to the male. The female pregenital sternite is semicircular to quadrate, and is usually infuscated along the margins. Adult males are 4.6 to 4.9 mm long, while females are 4.7 to 5.0 mm. (Hamilton 1983) Nymphs of this species are ferruginous, with the base of the abdomen paler. (Hamilton 1983) | Rare, recorded recently from the upper Piedmont. | Monophagous on American hazel (Corylus americana) (Hamilton 1983) | |||||||||
| Chlorotettix tunicatus | Ochraceous to pale yellowish overall, with the forewings yellowish subhyaline and the eyes [typically] a reddish-brown. The vertex is roundedly produced and half as long in the middle than against the eyes, and is evenly rounded except at the apex (in the middle), where it is slightly conical. The female pregenital sternite has the posterior margins roundedly emarginate to one-third the length of the segment; sometimes it is slightly notched in the middle but always has a notched appearance due to a brown V-shaped spot in the middle; the lateral angels of the posterior margin are rounded. The male plates are broad at the base, roundedly narrowing to a very obtuse, truncated apex; together the plates are the shape of a "bluntly pointed spoon" (DeLong 1948). Adult males are 6.2 to 6.8 mm long, females are 6.5 to 6.9 mm. (DeLong 1948, DeLong 1918, Cwikla 1988) For diagrams of the genitalia of this species, see: Dmitriev. | Scattered records across the state; likely under collected and therefore under reported. | Probably grassy areas, forest edge, open woodlands, meadows | Grasses; Andropogon virginicus, from peach (Cwikla 1988) | ||||||||
| Chlorotettix rugicollis | Greenish overall with a transverse red transverse band on the margin of the vertex/ top of the face, sometimes becoming pale orange and extending across the eyes; some individuals though vary in the extent of reddish color, ranging to being heavily marked with red (the face, pronotum, scutellum, and thorax can be occasionally red, sometimes more). The wings of males are usually tinged with a tawny brown color; wing venation is large and distinct. The vertex is broadly and obtusely rounded, with the median length almost equal to the length next to the eye. The female pregenital sternite is deeply and triangularly excavated, with a somewhat long but thin tooth/process in the middle that extends posteriorly from the apex of the excavation; the lateral angles are rounded. The male genital plates are long and triangular, with the margins sparsely haired. Adult males are 5.3 to 6.2 mm long, females are around 6.0 to 6.7 mm. (DeLong 1948, DeLong 1918, Cwikla 1988) For diagrams of the genitalia of this species, see: Dmitriev. | Recorded from several counties in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain; likely under collected and therefore under reported. | Grassy areas, has been found in a marsh | Grasses; has been found in an area with black needlerush and spartina, among other marsh grasses | ||||||||
| Chlorotettix leersius n. sp. Chlorotettix leersius undescribed | A greenish yellow species, with greenish eyes and yellowish subhyaline forewings (sometimes with a tinge of brown). The crown is roundedly produced, with the median length slightly longer than the length next to the eye. The female pregenital sternite has the posterior margin concavely excavated to about one=half of the length of the segment, with the median spatulate processes laterally expanded distally; the lateral angles are rounded. Adult males are 5.9 to 6.6 mm long, while females are 6.5 to 7.0 mm, ranging to at least 7.8 mm based on records on this site. (Cwikla, 1988) | Uncommon, primarily found in the Coastal Plain but also in the Piedmont; likely more abundant near marshes. | Freshwater marshes (Cwikla, 1988) | Collected from Leersia sp., for which it is named (Cwikla, 1988) | ||||||||
| Texananus rufusculus | A large robust, reddish-brown species. The vertex is one-fourth longer in the middle than next to the eyes. The overall color is yellowish reddish-brown irrorations, and the anterior border of the vertex is ivory yellow. The female pregenital sternite is broadly rounded laterally with a pair of median, rounded teeth separated by a small narrow notch. The male subgenital plates are long and triangular, with bluntly pointed apices. Adults are 7-7.25 mm long. (DeLong & Hershberger, 1949; Crowder, 1952) For diagrams of the genitalia of this species, see: TaxonPages. | Rare, a single record from the Piedmont; probably under-detected but uncommon. | Has previously been found in moist woodlands or wooded floodplain areas on rank growing herbaceous vegetation (DeLong & Hershberger, 1949). | |||||||||
| Texananus unidentified species2 Texananus (Texananus) | ||||||||||||
| sciName | description | abundance | habitat | food | ||||||||
| Haplaxius ovatus | The ground color of this species is stramineous, yellowish, pale tan, or vaguely greenish. This species lacks dark markings, with the forewings hyaline with pale veins and stigmas. Adult males are 4.1-4.9 mm long, while females are 4.6-5.5 mm. (Kramer, 1979) For more images of this species, see: BG. | Rare (surprisingly), recorded from a single county in the Piedmont; likely more abundant in the state. | Grassy areas | Grasses (Kramer, 1979) | ||||||||
| Dorydiella floridana | The head is broader and longer than the prothroax, and is angulate and inclined upwards; it is broadly rounded too. The wings are long and narrow, tapering to a point at the apex. There are four apical cells and two ante-apical cells in the wing, with two longitudinal veins within the clavus. The costal margin of the wing is a bold, contrasting white color. The female pregenital sternite has the posterior margin on the middle third produced more than the posterior lateral angles, forming a pair of rounded apical lobes at the apex. (Crowder, 1952) Nymphs are brownish overall, covered entirely with various dark specks (similar to the adult coloration). There are two narrow brown stripes along the pale median line. The lateral margins of the abdominal tergites are dark brown. The venter is dark brown, with the face having numerous dark specks, and the apex of the face has pale and dark spots. Nymphs are 8.3-8.7 mm long. (Dmitriev, 2009) For additional images and diagrams of this species, see: BG and TaxonPages. | Rare, a single record from the Coastal Plain. | Has been previously found in freshwater marsh/meadow habitat (Chandler & Hamilton, 2017; Crowder, 1952) and sandy areas within freshwater lagoons (DeLong, 1923a, 1923b). | Has been recorded from nutrush (Scleria verticillata) and blunt spikerush (Eleocharis obtusa) (Chandler & Hamilton, 2017). | ||||||||
| Streptanus aemulans | Adults can be either brachypterous or macropterous. They are stramineous in color with black-fuscous markings, with brachypters more heavily marked with blackish color than macropters. Adults are 4.0-4.5 mm for brachypters and 5.0-6.0 mm for macropters (Berine, 1956). On the pronotum, there are a series of dark marks extending longitudinally. The vertex has a single dark spot to the side of the eyes, and various dark markings near the apex. The female pregenital sternite is concave, with a median short projecting tooth; the portion of the sternite around the tooth is black. The male subgenital plates are rounded, with setae along the lateral margins. For diagrams of this species, see: TaxonPages. | Rare, this species has only recently been recorded in the state from the mountains (likely a recent arrival); perhaps more abundant in this region. | Damp, grassy areas (Chandler & Hamilton, 2017) | Has been recorded from grasses (velvet grasses, quack grass, etc.) (Chandler & Hamilton, 2017) | ||||||||
| Nersia florida | Adults are greenish overall with a wedge-shaped, short head that is not upcurved. The pronotum is shallowly notched. The sides of the head and thorax are edged with white, and the legs are mostly green. The wings themselves are mostly clear and appear fragile, contrasting with the wings of Rhynchomitra. See UDEL for images of a pinned specimen. Nymphs are highly mottled overall, with a mixture of white and brownish marks, sometimes with a greenish tint. The vertex is short and shaped similarly to the adults. | Scattered records from the Piedmont and Coastal Plain; possibly more abundant in the right habitat, but likely a fairly uncommon species in the state. | ||||||||||
| Monorachis sordulentus | A dark species that is typically brackypterous (shortened, reduced wings); macropterous individuals are less common. The wings are mottled and there are three prominent ridges (carinae) on the thorax. The frons is very wide. See here for images of a pinned specimen. | Rare, recorded from one county on the coast. | Has been found in wet, grassy depressions at the edge of a woodlands (UDEL) | Has been recorded from Andropogon sp. (Poaceae) (UDEL) | ||||||||
| Pissonotus piceus | A species that widely varies in color, from dark chestnut-brown to brownish orange. The body is shiny and the frons is immaculate; it is pale ventrally and gradually becomes darker dorsally, with a dark clypeus. However, the colors of the frons can intergrade and sometimes it is completely pale. The antennal segments are yellowish. Markings on the apex of the wing and posterior margin of the pronotum may be present or absent. The key distinguishing characteristic for this species and other similar ones in the P. piceus complex is the narrow but projecting vertex. While the vertex (top of the head) usually does not extend much past the eyes in other Pissonotus, it noticeably projects past the eyes in piceus, as can be seen here. Macropterous individuals are similarly colored to brachypters, with the caudal apex of the mesonotum yellowish and wings clear. Adult brachypterous males are 2.20-2.38 mm long, while females are 2.81-3.19 mm; macropterous males are 3.10-3.37 mm long while females are 3.38-3.81 mm. (Bartlett & Deitz, 2000) For more images of this species, see here. | Scattered records across the state, likely abundant in the right habitat. | Wetland areas | Polygonum hydropiperoides (Swamp smartweed), Polygonum sp., (Polygonaceae); Ludwigia peploides (floating primrose-willow), Ludwigia grandiflora (large-flower primrose-willow; Onagraceae). This species can be abundant on swamp smartweed and may be on some closely related smartweeds. (UDEL) | ||||||||
| Pissonotus flabellatus | This species is boldly marked with a dark abdomen with white spots and a whitish incomplete middorsal line, black wings with broad white apical margins, and a [largely] white thorax. The head is also blackish. The frons is dark brown to black with white speckling and a white band above the clypeus. The antennae are stramineous. This species has considerably expanded front tibiae, which are black; this gives the impression of very broad, almost spider-like front legs. Macropterous individuals are darker than brachypters with less extensive pale markings and clear wings. Adult brachypterous males are 2.17-2.61 mm long, females are 2.85-3.49 mm; macropterous males are 3.44-3.63 mm long while females are 3.50-3.88 mm. (Bartlett & Deitz, 2000) For more images of adults and possibly nymphs, which are highly mottled in color, see: BG. | Scattered records across the state, probably more abundant in the right habitat. | Grassy, brushy field-type areas | Asteraceae | ||||||||
| sciName | description | abundance | habitat | food | ||||||||
| Stictolobus borealis | A greenish species, with the pronotal horns and ridge typically reddish. This species is distinctive from other Stictocephala spp. in having the mottled white lined pattern on the pronotum: two white lines originate on the posterior side of each horn, with the ventral line following the ventral margin of the pronotum and the other line following the contour of the crest (forming somewhat of a white arch), before both lines converge and end at the ventral margin of the pronotum anterior to the posterior process. The wings are yellowish apically Adult males are 6.8 mm, females 7.5 mm. (Caldwell, 1949) | Rare, reported from a couple counties in the Piedmont. | Has been recorded from Ambrosia spp. (Caldwell, 1949) | |||||||||
| Bruchomorpha tristis | One of the largest members of the genus; a uniform, iridescent, shiny black species with a very flat, oval-shaped face. Some specimens occasionally have a narrow bronze stripe on the frons and vertex, while other specimens can have a dark red-brown head and thorax. There is pretty much no 'nose' or head projection present on this species, and there is a small round bulge extending on the underside of the head, characteristic of this species. The legs are black. Adults are 2.6-3.5 mm long. (Doering, 1939) For nice images of an adult, see here. Nymphs are typically dark overall, with the characteristic flat face of the adult. Both adults and nymphs have dark legs, helpful when differentiating from other species. | Recorded from several counties in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain, with a majority of records from the Piedmont; probably more abundant in the right habitat. | Has been found in grassy, brushy, field-type habitat. | Probably grasses | ||||||||
| Tortistilus lateralis | Adults are green, with a curved, hornless and crest-less pronotum; the pronotum is not pubescent. There are bold lateral pale lines running across the pronotum lengthwise, and the legs are a pale grayish color. The eyes are mottled black and yellow. The wings are hyaline, with broad wing cells and yellowish-brown venation. Females are 9 mm long, while males are 8-8.5 mm long. (Funkhouser, 1936) See FSCA for more. | Recorded from a couple counties in the Coastal Plain; rare. | Coastal | Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) (FSCA) | ||||||||
| Erythroneura carinata | A banded species with a yellow or white dorsum and a red, orange, or brown color pattern. There are two parallel orange submedial lines on the head with a pale midline, though this can sometimes be fused into a single thicker mark. The body has three dark transverse bands- on the thorax, middle of the wings, and wing tips. The thoracic band, which extends across the upper part of the mesonotum/scutellum and most of the pronotum, is brownish-red; the apex of the scutellum is contrastingly pale. The anterior side of the band facing the vertex typically fades into the head. The band across the wings is a pale red, as if someone has erased the color of the band; this is key for the species. The wing tips are dark gray to blackish. There is a large blue to black spot on the costal margin of each wing, and a distal spot in the second apical wing cell. The face and underside of the thorax are completely pale. Adults are 3.0-3.2 mm long. (Dmitriev & Dietrich, 2007) For more pics of this species, see: BG. | Recently recorded in the state, known from a few counties in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain; likely more abundant in the right habitat. | Has been found in mixed hardwood forest. | Vitis sp. (3I) | ||||||||
| Scaralina marmorata | A very distinctive and recognizable species that is highly variable (but localized) in color, with the body and anterior portions of the wings usually mottled with lichen-green, brown, and black coloration. The wings are reticulated with darker veins surrounding translucent wing cells, with dark markings on the basal half of the first claval vein interrupted; there is also a continuous dark transverse patch from the costa to the clavus, with pale crossveins. The base of the wings can show the lichen green and black color pattern found on the thorax, and there can be tiny red flecks along veins; there are many costal crossveins. The head is not strongly produced, being rather flat with eyes narrower than the pronotum, and the eyes are narrower than the pronotum. The sides of the face are parallel, and the frons has a broad pale upper margin that is otherwise dark below this; the clypeus is variable but is typically palest in the center and apically. The dark spots of the vertex are posterior in position, with restricted black markings very well-defined. The pronotal spots are well-defined, and the mesonotum center is largely pale (though it can be variably dark-marked). The legs are relatively long, especially the hind legs. The ninth abdominal tergite of the female is elongate, usually hiding the tenth and eleventh tergite; sternites are typically pale tan or basally black. Adults are about one inch in length and resemble small flattened cicadas. (UDEL, Yanega et al., 2024). Nymphs of the species are pale greenish overall with darker mottling and dense pale pinkish nodules. These nymphs are fairly flat and have a white face with two bold, black transverse bands. | Uncommon to locally common, with records across the state (though primarily the Piedmont and mountains) but not encountered frequently. | Found in deciduous forests. | Probably oaks (Yanega et al., 2024) such as Quercus nigra (BG). | ||||||||
| Pelitropis rotulata | A highly distinctive looking species, with a characteristic broad, flat head and bold wing venation that defines an oval area near the wing tips. This species is typically brownish in color, sometimes with rufous tints; the body itself has a very flattened appearance. Nymphs of this species are also distinctive, also having a characteristic flat head. They can range in color from yellow to green, and have two bright red dots at the tip of the abdomen. Like many planthopper nymphs, there may be hairs extending from the tip of the abdomen: see here and here. For more information about nymphs of this species, see: Pelitropis. | Uncommon, with scattered records across the state but most encountered in the Piedmont; possibly more abundant in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain. | Has been found near mixed hardwood forest habitat. | Recorded from: Ilex (Aquifoliaceae), Baccharis halimifolia L. (Asteraceae), Elaeagnus multiflora Thunb. (Elaeagnaceae, cherry silverberry), Lyonia sp. (staggerbush), Rhododendron sp., Vaccinium corymbosum L. (highbush blueberry), Vaccinium sp. (Ericaceae), Quercus phellos L. (Fagaceae), Liquidambar styraciflua L. (Hamamelidaceae), Hypericum edisonianum (Small) P. Adams & N. Robson (Arcadian St. Johnswort, Clusiaceae [was Hypericaceae]), Persea borbonia (L.) Spreng. (redbay; Lauraceae), Myrica cerifera L. (wax myrtle, Myricaceae), Ligustrum amurense Carrière (Amur privet; Oleaceae), Coccoloba uvifera (L.) L. (seagrape, Polygonaceae), Prunus serotina Ehrh. (black cherr), Pyrus communis L. (common pear, Rosaceae), Ulmus alata Michx. (winged elm; Ulmaceae), Parthenocissus quinquefolia (L.) Planch. (Virginia creeper), Vitis rotundifolia Michx. (muscadine, Vitaceae) (UDEL) | ||||||||
| Saccharosydne saccharivora West Indian Canefly | A distinctive green species with orange eyes and black lines on the front of yellowish antennal segments. The head is narrow with respect to the thorax and projects forward past the eyes; likewise, the frons is also narrow. Nymphs are pale greenish, with a whitish middorsal stripe. (UDEL) | A locally common species where found, primarily in the eastern Piedmont and Coastal Plain. | Grassy, brushy areas | Andropogon bicornis, Andropogon glomeratus (bushy bluestem), Saccharum officinarum (Sugarcane); Sorghum sudanense (Sudangrass) (UDEL) | ||||||||
| sciName | description | abundance | habitat | food | ||||||||
| Latalus sayii | A small, yellowish to brownish leafhopper with broad transverse white 'bands' contrasting with dark 'bands' on the wings, giving individuals a banded appearance that is characteristic of this species; the 'bands' are just pale or dark wing cells and/or venation. The wing tips have a black edge, and the underside of the face and thorax is dark. The vertex has four fuscous spots arranged in two rows towards the apex; the anterior spots are triangular, and the posterior pair is irregular in shape. The underside of the abdomen is banded, with alternating orange and black bands. The female pregenital sternite has the posterior margin shallowly concave/rounded. The male subgenital plates have the outer margins slightly and concavely narrowed towards the apexes. (DeLong 1948) For diagrams of this species, see: Zahniser. | Recorded from the mountains where it appears to be locally abundant; also several records in the Piedmont. | Grassy, open areas with shrubby vegetation; meadow and pasures | Bluegrass, probably other grass species (DeLong 1948) | ||||||||
| Rhynchomitra recurva | A green species that resembles R. microrhina except for the head length and shape. In recurva, the head is not as long and as tapered as that of microrhina (which has a long, pointed and strongly tapered head), but not as short as that of lingula; recurva's head is stout and not sharply pointed. When viewed dorsally, the head has a rounded shape to it rather than elongated and pointed. Nymphs are supposedly darker than those of R. microrhina, being dark brown in color. | Recorded from several counties in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain, possibly more abundant in the right habitat; very uncommon to rare. | Has been found near mixed hardwood forest. | Eragrostis curvula (weeping lovegrass, Poaceae) (UDEL) | ||||||||
| Pissonotus concolor | A very dark species with a dark brown to black body; adults are mostly concolorous/uniformly colored and have shiny bodies. The antennae and legs are pale to stramineous, and the face is almost entirely dark brown to black; the pronotum and mesonotum are also very dark brown. The wings are dark brown, lacking and transverse contrasting bands. Adult brachypterous females are around 3.4 mm long. (Bartlett & Deitz, 2000) | Rare. Recorded from a couple counties in the mountains, possibly more abundant in the right habitat. | Montane grassy areas | Asteraceae | ||||||||
| Hymetta kansasensis | The most boldly-marked member of this genus. The wings are milky-white with a bold, dark brown and red color pattern. The first two crossbands are brownish to reddish, with the first typically quite thick and strongly narrowed on the costal margin while the second is more of a broken oblique zig-zag line running from the plaque to the transverse apical red line; together they tend to form a large, characteristic dark saddle. The third band is a very dark inverted V. The costal plaque is [sometimes] dark. There is a black dot on the corium which touches the claval suture, and a small brownish spot on the clavus caudad of these; there are many small reddish flecks on the corium, clavus and [sometimes] costal plaque. The vertex is either unicolorous or with orange parallel submedial lines, often with a lateral branch. The disc of the pronotum is usually darkened, resulting in a diagnotistic yellowish-brown circular patch. The scutellum has a small black dot at the apex. The thoracic venter is entirely pale. Adults are 3.2-3.5 mm long. (3I; Fairbairn, 1928) For more images of this species, see: BG. For diagrams of this species, see: 3I. Young nymph instars are pale with blackish tarsi, with brownish-olive markings on the body. Young instars have darker markings, and the rest of the legs become olive-blackish. | Rare, only known from one county in the state, in the Piedmont; likely overlooked. | Can be found in mixed hardwood forest. | Cercis canadensis (red bud) (3I) | ||||||||
| Erythridula complex 2 Erythridula aesculella or rubroscuta | A largely bicolored hopper, mostly yellowish-white with variable red patches across the body: in some individuals the scutellum/pronotum lacks any red coloration, whereas in others these areas are entirely red. In all individuals though, there is an incomplete red transverse crossband across the middle of the wings. Adults are around 3.1-3.4 mm long. For more images of this group, see: BG. | Scattered records from the Piedmont and mountains, probably found throughout the state. | Forested areas | Both species primarily feed on Aesculus glabra: E. aesculella, E. rubroscuta. | ||||||||
| Homalodisca insolita Johnsongrass Sharpshooter | A large, slender leafhopper with a very distinct coloration. It has a mostly dark brown to black body with a large, bold yellowish to white band on the side of the abdomen. The head is speckled with small yellowish to whitish spots, and the eyes are bicolored. The legs can have red or yellow bases. The underside of the body is reddish in color. The female pregenital sternite has the caudal margin deeply and narrowly excavated. Adult males are 9.9-10.2 mm long, females are 10.8-11.0 mm. (Pollard, 1965) The infrequently encountered nymph is pale overall, with a light green abdomen and tan thorax and head. Many stripes and dots run across the body, and the eyes are red with white dashes on the edges. | Uncommon, has been recorded from a handful of counties in the mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain. Possibly more abundant in the state in the right habitat. | Recorded in the state in grassy, brushy habitats such as fields and power-line cuts. | Digitaria sanguinalis (crab grass), Panicum dichotimoflorum (fall panicum), Panicum maximum (Guinea grass), Sorghum halepense (Johnsongrass), Prunus persica (peach), Citrus sinensis (orange) (3i). Also reported from Acanthus, Solanum elaeagnifolium (DL) H. insolita is a vector of phony peach disease virus. (Pollard, 1965) | ||||||||
| Flatormenis proxima Northern Flatid Planthopper | This species is often greenish in color, though color can vary slightly. The key characteristic for this species is the 90 degree angle to the rear corner of the wings, separating this from the similar Ormenoides venusta. There are two rows of broad, ordered wing (apical) cells at the rear of the wing that are noticeable, also helpful in distinguishing this species. Additionally, F. proxima lacks the orange edge to the wings that is characteristic of O. venusta. The legs are brownish, and the bottom edge of the wings is yellowish. Young nymphal instars are fairly pale in color with contrasting orange sections on the abdomen and thorax, but older instars can show the greenish color typical of adults as they age. As in the adult, the head of the nymphs is broad and flat, a useful characteristic in distinguishing from the very similar nymphs of Metcalfa pruinosa. Eggs are deposited in long, narrow whitish rows on the side of vegetation. | Common and locally abundant, this species has been primarily recorded across the state. | Found in grassy, brushy habitat, forest edge, and within mixed hardwood forest. | Polyphagous: Juglans nigra (Juglandaceae, black walnut), Ostrya virginiana (Betulaceae, hophornbeam), Quercus velutina (Fagaceae, black oak), Ulmus rubra (Ulmaceae, slippery elm), Maclura pomifera (Moraceae, osage orange), Morus rubra (Moraceae, red mulberry), Rumex obtusifolius (bitter dock, Polygonaceae), Phytolacca americana (American pokeweed, Phytolaccaceae), Liriodendron tulipifera (tuliptree, Magnoliaceae), Asimina triloba (Annonaceae, pawpaw), Sassafras albidum (Lauraceae, sassafras), Liquidambar styraciflua (Hamamelidaceae, sweetgum), Platanus occidentalis (Platanaceae, American sycamore), and 30 more in Wilson & McPhearson (1981). (UDEL) | ||||||||
| sciName | description | abundance | habitat | food | ||||||||
| Idiocerus n-species Undescribed Idiocerus Species | A distinctive looking hopper, a rusty-brown yellowish color overall with black wing venation and white marks across the wings. The scutellum has a pale yellow base with two black triangles in the upper corner and a smaller black mark between them (not always present, perhaps a sexually dimorphic feature that is only present in males?); the posterior half of the scutellum may be yellow or show a white or red stripe. The pronotum is reddish-brown with a distinctive, broad longitudinal white stripe that typically ends before reaching the head. Males have a black clubbed-tip to the antennae, characteristic of male Idiocerus. The female pregenital sternite has a slightly waved posterior margin, with the slightest of notches. For more images of this species, see: BG. | Scattered records across the state, uncommon to locally common. | Has been found in grassy, brushy habitat near montane forest; also mixed hardwood forests. | |||||||||
| Penestragania alabamensis | A greenish to tan species, with many short whitish hairs (setae) scattered across the surface of the wings; sometimes there is a fuscous spot at the apex of the clavi (inner part of the wings) and the outer ends of the apical cells. The vertex is rounded and distinctly narrower than the pronotum. The posterior margin of the female pregenital sternite is produced on the median two thirds, sometimes with a small median notch. Fuscous spots are common in the posterior third of the anteapical cells. The posterior margin of the female pregenital sternite is produced on the median, occasionally with a small notch. Adults males are 4.0-4.7 mm long, females are 4.5-4.8 mm. (Beamer & Lawson, 1945), (Blocker, 1970) See here for more images of this species: BG. | A very uncommon species in the state, likely overlooked and under-collected and could turn up anywhere in the state. | Honey locust (Gleditsia triancanthos) (Blocker, 1970) | |||||||||
| Catonia picta | A very colorful and distinctive hopper with reddish-brown to orange wings with a prominent grayish-white transverse band; the thorax and head are a vibrant reddish color. The underside of the body is orange-brown, as are the legs. The face is tricolored and distinctive, with the top black, followed by a white band, then black and orange-brown and finally another white band; the clypeus is a pale orange color. Adults are 4.4-5.8 mm long. (O'Brien, 1971) | An uncommon species that can be locally abundant in some areas; recorded from the Piedmont and Coastal Plain. | Has been found near mixed hardwood forest. | Pinus sp. (UDEL); also reported from oak-hickory. | ||||||||
| Graminella sonora | A pale tan species with four bold black dots on the edge of the vertex; the two inner dots are noticeably larger than the two dots at the apex, characteristic of this species. Adults are small, around 3.0 mm long or smaller. The combination of the coloration and pattern, together with the small size, are key characteristics for distinguishing this species from others in the genus; the wing venation is also more complicated than in other members of the genus, with more small cells. The individual male genital plates are triangular in shape, with sharp apexes that are divergent from one another. The female pregenital sternite has a moderate, rounded excavation on the medial half of the posterior margin, with a slight convex tooth in the middle and convex lateral margins to the sternite; the excavation is bordered with brown. For diagrams of this species, see: Zahniser. | Recorded from primarily the Coastal Plain and Piedmont, where it can be locally common; probably more abundant in the right habitat. | Has been found in a grassy, open area near forest edge. | |||||||||
| Clastoptera arborina Red Cedar Spittlebug | A reddish species with a pale zigzag transverse band across the middle of the body, and three bold reddish lines on the head and pronotum. Males can either be paler or darker than females, the latter of which tend to be fairly rufous in color. The rufous color helps set this species apart from other Clastoptera found in North Carolina, in particular C. obtusa. While dark males may resemble C. obtusa, they have more pale patches overall compared to C. obtusa which tend to be uniformly colored except for the white band and pale head; in particular, there tends to be a whitish patch near the base of each wing in both sexes that is a useful identifying mark. This species has a dark band across the face, wider in males, and can show a couple thinner dark bands between the eyes and frons. The area below the wide black band is pale. See here for a view of the face of both sexes, with the male on the bottom. Males are 3.5-3.9 mm long, while females are 3.7-4.1 mm (BG). | Recorded primarily from the Piedmont but also mountains, possibly more abundant in the state in the right habitat. | Where red-cedar or cypress is present. | Eastern red-cedar (Juniperus virginiana), Leyland Cypress (Cupressocyparis leylandii) (DL) | ||||||||
| Scaphoideus ochraceus | A distinctively orange colored species. The crown is cream colored with a thin brown anterior marginal line and a somewhat broad orange sinuous (wavy) band in front of the eyes; the rest of the head is cream colored. The face is yellow, sometimes with brown lines below the crown margin. The pronotum is orange with a central pale, cream-colored cruciate mark spanning from one pronotal margin to the the other. The scutellum is a mixture of orange a yellow/cream, with two bold orange spots in the anterior half. The wings are orange, sometimes yellowish, with some white spots; the wing venation is brown, dark near the wing tips. The legs are yellowish with some black spots. The underside of the body is mostly pale, a yellowish-brown with some dark brown spots. The male genital valve and plates are yellow, while the female pregenital sternite (sternite #7) is tan with a posterior dark brown medial spot; the posterior margin of the sternite are relatively straight, and there is no posterior notch. Adult males are 5.1-6.4 mm long, while females are 6.0-6.7 mm. (Barnett 1976) Nymphs are a pale orange overall, with several dark markings such as a dark spot on each side of the tip of the abdomen. | Uncommon, recorded from several counties across the state, probably more abundant in the state in the right habitat. | Has been found near mixed hardwood forest habitat; also open woods and grassy areas. | Quercus, Andropogan furcatus, etc. (Barnett 1976) | ||||||||
| Stenocranus similis | A distinctive species that is sexually dimorphic. Males have fairly dark wings, with two main dark patches. Females only have one main dark patch on the wing, near the tips, and can sometimes lack dark patches all together, just having several dark spots. There is however a key characteristic shared among both sexes: the lack of a bold, contrasting white midline. Unlike other members of this genus, there is no bold white line down the vertex, thorax, and inner margin of the wings. There are several thin pale lines on the thorax, the middle of which extends onto the vertex; however, the two black marks on the tip of the head are bordered by the tan color of the head on both sides, rather than encapsulating a bold white line. This field mark can be clearly seen here. This species ranges in size from 4.5-6.0 mm (Beamer). For images of pinned male and female specimens, see: UDEL. | Pretty uncommon, recorded primarily from the Coastal Plain, probably more abundant in the right habitat. | Where native bamboo occurs. | Native bamboo: Arundinaria gigantea tecta (as Arundinaria tecta( (Poaceae: Bambusoideae: Bambuseae) (UDEL) | ||||||||
| sciName | description | abundance | habitat | food | ||||||||
| Acanalonia servillei | A large species, adults are distinctive. They are greenish overall, with broad, rounded wings that have dense, reticulated wing venation. There is a yellowish midline stripe that begins on the top of the head and thorax and extends down the wings. The key characteristic in this species, differentiating it from A. conica, is the rounded head. Additionally, servillei has three prominent wing veins that curve upward and are parallel to one another; this is not a feature in conica. Legs are reddish-brown. Nymphs of this species are mostly pale overall, with a dark brown to black patch on the sides of the thorax, helping differentiate this nymph from other members of this genus. Here is an image of an adult just emerging from its nymph exoskeleton which shows the characteristic pattern. | Uncommon, primarily found along the coast, reaches into the eastern and southern Piedmont. | Typically found along the coast, but can occur inland. Has been found in grassy, open pine habitat, as well as near mixed hardwood forest. | Capparis comosa (Capparaceae) (UDEL) | ||||||||
| Tylozygus geometricus | A very distinctive, brightly colored species that is slightly smaller, at 4.2- 4.5 mm, compared to its cousin T. bifidus. This species is mostly green, with green wings, a partly green-colored scutellum, and a green pronotum. There are bold yellow transverse bands bordered by black bands on the top of the head and thorax, and the abdomen is dark with a tinge of yellow. Lastly, the face is dark, characteristic of this species (AI). There is a very dark form of this species where the green is replaced with a dark blue to black. It can range from partially bluish-black, showing some of the yellow and green lines found on normally colored adults, to an almost uniform bluish-black. This form though might only be found in Florida, per observations on Bugguide and iNaturalist. | Has been recorded across the state, primarily in the Piedmont; locally common where found, probably more common in the state in the right habitats. | Recorded in a variety of grassy and brushy habitats, including microstygium. Has also been found in mixed hardwood forests. | |||||||||
| Amycle vernalis | A distinctive looking brownish species with a long, flattened but slender head with relatively parallel sides, giving the appearance of an elongated nose. The base of the hind wing can be a pale pink, and there is a diagonal white band; the posterior margin is brown (UDEL). See here for some images of adults. | One individual collected in the Piedmont; possibly more abundant. | Multiple species, including: Eragrostis curvula (weeping lovegrass, Poaceae), Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem), Andropogon ternarius (splitbeard bluestem), A. virginicus (broomsedge bluestem), Danthonia sericea, and Deschampsia flexuosa (UDEL) | |||||||||
| Melanoliarus aridus | This species has a distinctive wing pattern. There are three spots in a diagonal line on each wing (in some bold specimens, these dots connect). The base of the wings are often dark, though this is not always present in some individuals. The wings are typically milky subhyaline but sometimes vitreous (clear). The wing veins are typically pale yellow basally, becoming brownish towards the apex; the stigma is light to dark brown. Overall, the coloration of this species is usually a reddish/brickish color, although it can range towards black. The vertex and mesonotum range in color from piceous (glossy brownish-black) to castaneous (chestnut), and the mesonotal carinae are concolorous in some specimens, but usually a dull orange or yellow-brown. The vertex is broad, with the median length equal to or exceeding the width at the apex of the posterior emargination. The face has various coloration but is usually chestnut- the median carinae are usually orange. However, there are two distinctive pale spots on the frons, characteristic of this species. The eyes are speckled, also characteristic of this species. Adult males are 5.9-8.4 mm long. (Mead & Kramer, 1982; S. Hendrix, pers. comments) For more images of this species, see: BG. For images of pinned specimens, see: BOLD. | Previously reported from the state; recently recorded from the Piedmont. Likely abundant across the state. | Adults have been collected from the following plants: Helianthus sp., Prunus persica, Vernonia interior, Polygonum sp., Medicago sativa, Apium graveolens, Prunus cerasus, Citrus paradisi, Carya sp., grass sp., Gossypium sp., Tillandsia usneoides, Quercus virginiana, Zea mays, Zanthoxylum clavaherculis. (Mead & Kramer, 1982) "Nymphs of cixiids are subterranean, feeding on roots and possibly fungi. The significance of adult host records is unclear. Many cixiids are presumed to be polyphagous (as adults), most often on woody plants." (UDEL) | |||||||||
| Eutettix pictus | Distinctively colored, this is the most colorful member of this genus. The wings are a dark brown to shiny black color with blackish edges and a small yellow-opaque 'saddle' near the apex of the clavus on the wings. The scutellum is completely yellow, as is part of the pronotum and head. A [typically] bold black bar across the front of the pronotum is diagnostic of this species (BG); the face is also black with a broad yellow band beneath the eyes. Some individuals can be exceptionally dark. The frons of females are yellow with a dark base; in males, the frons is yellow with a dark base and fuscous to black markings on the disc. The female pregenital sternite has the posterior margin broadly and concavely excavated with a median pointed tooth. Adults males are 5.0 mm, females are 6.5 mm long. (Hepner 1942, DeLong 1948) Nymphs have a pale body with many reddish-orange markings. | Scattered records across the state, probably more abundant in the right habitat, especially were oaks are present. | Mixed hardwood forest, where oaks are present; also pine-oak barrens (Chandler & Hamilton 2017). | Oaks (Quercus spp.), especially scrub oak (Chandler & Hamilton 2017) | ||||||||
| Negosiana negotiosa | Ochreous pale brown, the head and pronotum have numerous small, dark brown spots speckled across. Oman (1949) depicted this species with two spots on the scutellum, along the margin with the pronotum; 2 pairs of spots flanking the upper lateral margins of the pronotum; and two smaller spots on the crown close to the pronotum. There is dense, pigmented speckling across the surface of the head and pronotum. The head is broad, rounded and moderately projected, being less than two-thirds as long as the middle basal width between the eyes and two-thirds as long as the pronotum. The veins of the elytra are faintly margined with brown, with a few brown spots between the veins. There is one large large spot on each wing on the anterior portion of the disc. The female pregenital sternite is speckled and has a wavy, sinusoidal posterior margin with a hint trace of a notch on the median lobe. Adults are 7 to 8 mm long. (DeLong 1942, Beirne 1956) | Recorded in several counties in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain; likely overlooked but not overly abundant. | Has been found in mixed hardwood forest. | |||||||||
| Telamona concava | A striking member of this genus, with a color pattern that varies among specimens. Typically, the body is a combination of a dark brown to black color with green to bluish blotches across the pronotum and on the legs. The pronotum has a prominent and tall crest, with a rounded top and a small posterior 'step'; the exact shape of the pronotal crest can vary between individuals (BG). | Uncommon with scattered records from the Piedmont and mountains, possibly more abundant in the right habitat. | Has been found near mixed hardwood forest. | Quercus alba (white oak), Q. velutina (black oak) (Wallace 2014) | ||||||||
| sciName | description | abundance | habitat | food | ||||||||
| Ormenoides venusta | This species is typically greenish with a brown to orange border around the edges of the wings. Some individuals though can appear bright blue. Unlike Flatormenis proxima, the wings of Ormenoides have a single crossvein on the forewings (there are 2 in Flatormenis), and the wings are rounded apically rather than being truncate. Nymphs are greenish, with a white midline extending from the base of the head to the tip of the abdomen. There are orange spots on the thorax, and 4 to 6 small black dots near the tip of the abdomen. (BG) | A common species, recorded across the state with a majority of records coming from the Piedmont and Coastal Plain. | Recorded from a variety of habitats, including grassy habitat and mixed hardwood forest. | Polyphagous, found on a variety of species. Reported on Digitaria sanguinalis (Poaceae, hairy crabgrass), Juglans nigra (Juglandaceae, black walnut), Quercus velutina (Fagaceae, black oak), Ulmus americana (Ulmaceae, American elm), Ulmus rubra (slippery elm), Maclura pomifera (Moraceae, osage orange), Morus rubra (Moraceae, red mulberry), Rumex obtusifolius (bitter dock, Polygonaceae), Phytolacca americana (American pokeweed, Phytolaccaceae), Liriodendron tulipifera (tuliptree, Magnoliaceae), Asimina triloba (Annonaceae, pawpaw), Sassafras albidum (Lauraceae, sassafras), Liquidambar styraciflua (Hamamelidaceae, sweetgum), Platanus occidentalis (Platanaceae, American sycamore), Geum canadense (white avens, Rosaceae), Prunus serotina (Rosaceae, black cherry), Rosa multiflora (rosaceae, multiflora rose), etc. (UDEL) | ||||||||
| Lycorma delicatula Spotted Lanternfly | A distinctive, large species, unlike anything else in our area. Adults have forewings that are pinkish-gray with bold black spots across the basal 2/3; the apical 1/3 of the wings are blackish with contrasting white wing venation, forming small black blocks. The forewings are a bold mixture of red and black with a diagonal white band. The antennal bases are orange. The legs and underside of the body are blackish-gray, with yellowish margins to the abdominal segments and [sometimes] a red tip to the abdomen. Adults are approximately 1 inch (~25 mm) long and 0.5 inches (~13 mm) wide. (NCDA&CS) The first three nymphal instars are black with scattered white spots. The fourth instar is largely red with black and white markings. Here is an image showing the full life cycle. Egg masses are brownish and can sometimes be covered with a grayish waxy layer, giving a mud-like appearance. | Two recent adult records from the mountains from two different counties, and a nymph from the coast, plus a few other counties noted as having sightings of lone individuals so far- this species is not yet established in North Carolina. | Orchards, vineyards, residential areas, etc. | Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is the primary host plant; also likes grape. When numbers are higher, individuals move to red and silver maple. However, this species is known to feed on 103 plant species, of which 56 are present in North America. (ET, UDEL) For lists of various host plant species, see the information at the bottom of this page: UDEL. | ||||||||
| Empoa saffrana | A yellowish species with the basal two-thirds of the wings unmarked; in teneral specimens, the wings are ivory-white. The apex of the wings have four or more dark brown spots around the apical crossveins; these spots, together with the yellow wings, distinguish this species from others. In some individuals, the spots may not be as bold, but together they form an arced 'band' along the apical crossveins. The wingtips are largely hyaline. (Hamilton, 1983) | Recorded from a few counties in the mountains and Piedmont, likely more abundant in the right habitat. | Has been found near mixed hardwood forest. | Reported from Hop-hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana), beech (Fagus grandifolia), American elm (Ulmus americana), Ulmus sp. (Hamilton 1983) | ||||||||
| Ossiannilssonola hinei | A very distinctive species. Chalky white overall, with two transverse dark brown bands across the wings: one across the base of the wings and the other before the apical crossveins. The wing venation is white; the abdomen is yellow. Adults are 3.5-4.0 mm long. (Christian, 1953) | Recorded from a few counties in the mountains and Piedmont, rare; possibly more abundant in the right habitat. | Has been found near montane and suburban mixed hardwood forest. | White Oak (Quercus alba) (Christian, 1953) | ||||||||
| Alebra aurea | Males are a vibrant yellow to golden-yellow color, paler towards the wing tips and unmarked. Females are yellow to orange-yellow, rarely colored like the male. The head is broader across the eyes than the combined length of the head and pronotum, with the eyes longer than the pronotum behind the eyes. The lateral margins of the pronotum are strongly divergent, and the wings/tegmina are at least four times as long as wide. Adult males are 3.3-4.2 mm long, while females are 3.4-4.5 mm. (Hamilton, 1995) | Uncommon with scattered records across the state, primarily from the mountains and Piedmont; likely more abundant in the right habitat. | Has been found near mixed to open hardwood forest habitat. | Primarily oaks (all Quercus spp.), but recorded from many other species including: hickory and pecan (Carya spp.), beech (Fagus grandifolia), hop hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) and hawthorn (Crataegus spp.). Also recorded in small numbers from Acer, Asimia, Carpinus, Castanea, Cercis, Corylus, Ulmus and Vitis spp. (Hamilton, 1995) | ||||||||
| Dikrella cruentata | A pale white or yellowish species, with two pairs of oblique yellow to bright red lines across the wings, a median stripe on the vertex, and two stripes on the pronotum that arise from the vertex. There are black markings at the cross nervures of the wing apices. The female pregenital sternite is one-half longer than the preceding, with the posterior margin strongly produced from lateral angles to a broad median, convex tooth. Male subgenital plates drastically taper toward the apices, appearing pinched on the lateral margins. Adults are 2.75-3.0 mm long. (Ball & DeLong, 1925) There are three described varieties of this species: kansiensis (which has a slightly different shape to the pregenital sternite), lavata (which is entirely pale, creamy, or with slight smoky indications near the cross-veins), and rubricata (which has an entirely red scutellum and broader red markings and smoky band than usual). For additional images of this species, see: BG. | Rare, two recent records from the Piedmont and mountains; likely under collected and more abundant in the right habitat. | Betula alleghaniensis (yellow birch), Betula papyrifera (white birch), Rubus sp., Viburnum alnifolium (hobble bush) (3I); also speckled alder, witch-hazel, jewelweed, buckeye, apples, striped maple, skunk cabbage, and American hazel (Chandler & Hamilton, 2017). | |||||||||
| Paramesus major | A light brown-stramineous to greenish-stramineous species. There is a prominent black transverse band across the vertex, typically with a perpendicular brown to reddish-brown indistinct band posterior to this black one and running between the eyes; the vertex margin is a creamy color, with the marginal band continuing across the eyes. The wing venation is boldly outlined with pale coloration. Adults are 5.0-6.5 mm (Beirne, 1956). For more images of this species, see: BG. | Rare, only recently detected in the state from the coast. Likely to expand and become more widespread in the future. | Mixed grassland-forest areas (Gareau, 2008), other open grassy areas | Monophagous on Bulboschoenus maritimus (Nickel, 2003) | ||||||||
| sciName | description | abundance | habitat | food | ||||||||
| Enchenopa on-carya Undescribed Enchenopa on Hickory | A dark, blackish-brown species with two distinctive yellowish marks down the back. The wings are mostly concolorous with the rest of the body, with rufous-tinted tips. Sexes can be distinguished from one another by the length of the horn- in females, the horn is noticeably long and prominent, while in males the horn is much smaller, sometimes nothing more than a little nub. Egg masses are whitish in color, resembling raised shells on a stem. See here for a nice depiction of the life cycle of nymphs of this genus. | Recorded from a couple counties in the mountains and Piedmont; likely more widespread and just under-reported. | Woodlands | Hickory (Carya spp., e.g. Carya tomentosa, C. ovata) | ||||||||