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| sciName | description | abundance | habitat | food | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cyrtolobus inermis | A smaller member of this genus. Females are pale green to yellowish with a moderately elevated pronotum. Males are smaller than the females, with a less elevated pronotum. Male's pronotums are a deep black, polished color with a couple pale transverse bands; the extreme tip of the pronotum is brown. The head is a chocolate brown color with some black. The underside of the body and the legs are a dull red color. Males are 4 mm long, while females are 5 mm. See here for images of pinned specimens. (Kopp) | Several records from the Piedmont and Coastal Plain. Seasonal distribution: 3 May-10 June (CTNC) | Where oaks are present. | Quercus falcata, Q. marilandica, Q. stellata (CTNC) | ||||||||
| Telamona compacta | The pronotum is a shiny, glossy reddish-brown color in females (darkening to blackish/black in males), frequently irregularly mottled with white spots; these white markings are emphasized around the base and posterior face of the crest, and along the pale band transversing the pronotum posterior to the crest. The pronotum is low with a short, blunt apex as seen from above. The crest is low and quadrangular, longer than high and set well back, and it is thick and inflated on the anterior and posterior sides. Males have lower crests than the females. Adult females are 7.5 mm long with a width of 4 mm and a height of 4 mm. (Kopp & Yonke, 1974) For more pics of this species, see: BG. | Rare, a couple recent records from the mountains. | Woodlands, where oak occurs | White oak (Quercus alba), scrub oak (Q. ilicifolia), bur oak (Q. macrocarpa), pin oak (Q. palustris), northern red oak (Q. rubra), black oak (Q. velutina) | ||||||||
| Osbornellus unicolor | This species is brownish overall, with dense brown coloring and no bold markings on much of the body and wings; the wing venation is dark, and the tips of the wings are blackish. The face, vertex and pronotum are a uniform brown color. The female pregenital sternite has the posterior margin truncated, often times with an indication of a central tooth; on either side of this tooth the segment is emarginate. Adults are 5.0 mm long. (Beamer 1937, DeLong 1948) For images of a live individual, see: BG. | Recorded from a few counties in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain; rare, possibly under collected. | Woodlands | Herbaceous vegetation | ||||||||
| Polana celata | A dark brown species with the crown and anterior portion of the pronotum a paler brown. The crown is short and broadly rounded. The ocelli are widely separated. The wing venation is dark brown, particularly on the corium, apical and anteapical veins; the tips of the claval veins are brown. The male subgenital plates are elongate and more than four times long as broad. The female pregenital sternite is trilobate and has the lateral angles rounded, with a shallowly excavated posterior margin on either side of broadly rounded lobes; the median lobe has a broad shallow notch. Adult males and females are 8.0 mm long (though DeLong 1942 states 6-7 mm long). (DeLong & Freytag 1972) | Rare, one collection records from the state. | ||||||||||
| Empoa apicata | A pale yellowish species, with a yellowish-white to light yellow head, pronotum, and scutellum. The wings are yellowish-white to whitish with a broad (rather than narrow) dark brown transverse band across the middle of the wings that curves downwards and towards the apex (instead of transversing straight across the wings). This band is bolder than the dark brown infuscations around the apical crossveins. The abdomen has the dorsum of the basal three segments black; the underside of the body is white to light yellow. Adults are 2.75-3.0 mm long. (Christian 1954, Hamilton 1983) For images of this species, see: BG. | Rare, a single record from the mountains. Likely under-collected and more present in the state, at least in this region. | Ostrya virginiana (Hamilton, 1983) | |||||||||
| Agallia lingulata | A small and robust dark species that is variable in coloration. Males range in color from dark brown to nearly black. There are typically a pair of large black spots on the anterior margin of the vertex that are surrounded by a pale ring, and a distinctive and characteristic pair of large black spots on the top of the pronotum; these pronotal spots are also surrounded by a contrasting pale ring. The edge all around the eyes is pale, while the disk of the face is dark brown; the clypeus and lorae have a dark discal area too. The antennal sockets are black, while the basal segment of the antennae is pale (the rest is blackish). The scutellum is black, with two whitish maculations on the lateral margins near the apex. The elytra is smoky, dark brown, and the wing venation is pale to dark with some slight indication of pale nervures. Females are much lighter than males, more similar in coloration to Agallia quadripunctata, with four large black spots. The vertex is almost uniform in length and width, and the pronotum is about 2.5 times wider than long. The pregenital sternite on females is very broad and truncate, with a thin median process extending downwards. Male subgenital plates are nearly triangular, with the lateral margins slightly concave. Adult males are up to 3.6 mm long, while females are up to 3.75 mm. (Olsen 1922, Oman 1933) | A single record from the mountains, likely rare in the state. | Grassy areas | |||||||||
| Texananus superbus | A robust brownish species with a broad, narrow head. The wings are pale brown with a dark brown and black network of reticulated lines. The head, pronotum, and scutellum are a pale tan color, contrasting with the wings. There are several white spots down the back. The underside is dark brown. The female pregenital sternite is quite distinctive, with a broad rounded excavation that reaches halfway to the anterior base. The male plates are short and broad and together form a semicircular shape. Adults are 6.0 mm long. (DeLong & Hershberger 1949) For diagrams of the genitalia of this species, see: TW. For images of live individuals, see: BG. | Recorded from a single county in the Piedmont; rare. | Fields, grassy areas, etc. | |||||||||
| sciName | description | abundance | habitat | food | ||||||||
| Hecalus viridis | A pale green species (rarely, straw-coloured) with a fine, dark line on the lower edge of the coronal margin on the vertex. The female often has pale brown lines on longitudinal wing veins. Ventrally, males have black tergites contrasting with unmarked pale green sternites. The head has the coronal margin angled; the crown of the female is parabolically rounded, as long as the midlength of the pronotum but distinctly narrower than the pronotum, whereas the head of the male is parabolically pointed and shorter than the midlength of the pronotum. The wings of the female are subbrachypterous to macropterous, exposing the ovipositor and at least the tip of the pygofers; males are macropterous. The female pregenital sternite is truncate, with a straight posterior margin. The male subgenital plates are triangular, with slightly concave lateral margins. Adult males are 4.9-5.9 mm long and have a width of 1.3-1.5 mm across the eyes, females are 6.7-7.9 mm long and have a width of 1.6-1.9 mm across the eyes. (Hamilton 2000) For additional images of specimens of this species, see: TW and BOLD. | Reported from the state per Metcalf, but unclear from where. Adults are reported from late April to early October, with nymphs present from late July to late August; probably two broods of nymphs (Hamilton 2000). Recently recorded from the coast. | Grassy areas | Various grasses, usually on Elymus spp. and Agropyron spp., but also collected from Aristida spp., Hesperostipa spartea, Hesperostipa comata, Panicum virgatum, and Andropogon scoparius (Hamilton 2000). | ||||||||
| Cyrtolobus dixianus | A species with a fairly distinctive color pattern compared to other members of this genus. Males have coarser but sparser punctuation on their pronotum, as well as a shinier surface, than that of the female. Males have a yellowish green face and a dark pronotum, typically with a combination of pale speckling and transverse pale bands contrasting with darker coloration; in some individuals, these bands are less distinct. The forewings are hyaline, darker towards the rear. The body beneath is bright green, and the tergum of the abdomen is black, sometimes infringing on the green of ventral segments. The male's genital organs are black, and the legs are a bright yellowish-green. Females are overall a light green, sometimes yellowish color, with scattered pale spots; some females can be quite dark though. The face is a brighter yellow, as well as the sides of the abdomen. The eyes are green, centrally reddish brown. The pronotum is moderately arched, highest in the middle, and the body beneath is green; the edge of the pronotal crest is brownish. The forewings are hyaline, their veins greenish and distinct. The legs are green with rosy claws. Adult males are 6.5 mm long while females are 7.5 mm. (Kopp) Nymphs of this species are typical for the genus and are a light green. For more images of this species, see: BG. | Uncommon to rare, only a handful of records from the Piedmont and Coastal Plain. Seasonal distribution: 26 April-26 May (CTNC) | Quercus alba, Q. falcata, Q. palustris, Q. stellata (CTNC); also reared from Quercus bicolor. | |||||||||
| Omolicna joi Florida Palm Derbid | Adults are orange-brown in color (this becomes faded when dead), dusted with a notable purple wax across the wings. The carinae of the head are darker, the mesonotum is slightly dark, and the forewings become slightly darker towards the apices, with the costal cell at the apex red. The vertex is not strongly elevated. The pygofer in lateral view is narrow, and broader ventrally, with a parallel-sided median ventral process that is slightly convex apically with a small lateral tooth on either side. Males are 3.6-4.2 mm long, while females are 4.2-4.8 mm. (Halbert et al., 2014) | Rare, a single record from the coast; likely to be found elsewhere along the coast, where palmetto exists. | Coastal areas with palmetto and pine (a relationship with pine might exist). | Sabal palmetto, Saw palmetto (Halbert et al., 2014) | ||||||||
| Erythridula pfrimmeri | This species has one of the blackest mesonotums of any species in this genus; the mesonotum is so dark that it shows through the pronotum, essentially resulting in a large continuous black patch on the thorax over the scutellum and pronotum. The rest of the body is a pale, whitish color with yellow or reddish-orange lines/marks; the variation in line color is age related, with sexually mature individuals having darker (red) marks. The face is pale, as is the underside of the thorax except for the mesosternum which is dark. Notably, the abdomen is dark dorsally, a key characteristic of this species. Adults are 2.8-3.0 mm long. (Dmitriev & Dietrich, 2009) For more images of this species, see: BG. | This species has been recorded from a single county in the Piedmont; a rare species. | Has been found in mixed hardwood forest. | Ulmus alata, Acer pensylvanicum, Quercus nigra, Q. pagodafoliae, Ilex decidua (3I) | ||||||||
| Erythridula noeva | This species has typical coloration for the genus, with bold red lines on the wings, thorax, and head. However, the mesonotum is typically a dark brownish color. The scutellum in particular is dark, being a dark chestnut to reddish-brown color overall with blacker lateral angles; sometimes, the scutellum has a pale midline, resulting in a dark V-shape (var. parma). The dark mesonotum is visible through the pronotum, giving this species a dark looking thorax. Color variety 'parma' has a reddish "V" for the scutellum, with two small black marks confined to the upper angles of the lateral triangles. The face is pale, as is the thorax except for the mesosternum on the underside which is dark; the abdomen is pale dorsally. Adults are 2.9 to 3.3 mm long. (Dmitriev & Dietrich, 2009) For more images of this species, see: BG. | Recorded from across the Piedmont and into the mountains; probably more abundant in the state in the right habitat (has been recorded from the TN side of the Smoky Mountains). | Has been found in mixed hardwood forest. | Black Walnut (Juglans nigra), Juglans sp., Acer saccharum, Carpinus sp., Aesculus sp., Acer pictum, Quercus imbricaria, among others (3I) | ||||||||
| Aphelonema decoratum | A striking bicolored species. The head, thorax, and legs are orange-tan, with the rest of the dorsum blackish-brown. The wings are a bold, contrasting black color. | A single record from the coast; likely under sampled and more present in saltmarshes. | Saltmarshes | Sedges; Spartina alterniflora, Spartina patens, Deschampsia flexuosa, Panicum repens (UDEL) | ||||||||
| Destria bisignata | A plain, dull yellowish-brown species that is uniformly colored except for two bold, black broken marks across the edge of the vertex. The vertex is bluntly angled. The female pregenital sternite has the posterior margin largely straight, slightly produced in the middle. The male subgenital plates are long and narrow, tapering to to form pointed tips. Adults are 4.0 mm long. (DeLong & Mohr, 1937) For more images of specimens, see: BOLD. For images of a live individual, see: BG. | Recorded from a couple counties in the Coastal Plain; likely more abundant in the right habitat, particularly salt marshes. | Salt marshes | |||||||||
| sciName | description | abundance | habitat | food | ||||||||
| Cyrtolobus togatus | A fairly small species relative to most Cyrtolobus, males are around 4.0 mm long, females are 5.0 mm. Males vary in color from brown from a brown to black pronotum with two white transverse bands and one along the edge of the pronotum. The pronotal crest is not very produced. Females are a bit paler with more whitish areas on the front of the pronotum, contrasting with a brownish pronotal streak in the front on each side. (FSCA) | Scattered records across the state, uncommon. Seasonal distribution: 15 April-30 June (CTNC) | Mixed hardwood forest habitat, particularly where Quercus are present. | Water oak (Quercus nigra), willow oak (Q. phellos), Q. stellata, laurel oak (Q. laurifolia) (CTNC) | ||||||||
| Agallia deleta | A distinctive small, reddish-brown to blackish-brown member of this genus with a small head; smaller than all Agallias except A. lingulata. Adults lack the head spots found on other Agallia species and are about 2.5-3mm in length. Males however, as in other Agallia, can be quite dark and appear almost black in color; this species also lacks bold, pale wing venation that other Agallias have. The female pregenital sternite has a slightly concave posterior margin with a very small tooth in the middle; otherwise it appears mostly truncate. The male plates are rather long and broad, tapering towards the apex. (DeLong 1948), (Oman 1933) | An uncommon to locally common species in the state, infrequently encountered. Recorded from several counties in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain, probably more abundant in the right habitat. | Found in grassy, field-type habitat; has also been found on lawns. | Festuca lawn grass, clover, weeds, tall native grass, etc. | ||||||||
| Flavoclypeus nitens | A very dark, glossy black species with a yellow to orange clypeus, antennae, and legs. In brachypters, the wings are dark. However, some individuals can seemingly have a dark clypeus (seen in a probable dark macropter). Females are sexually dimorphic, being much paler and typically uniform white to yellow or light brown in color. Note that male brachypters are around 2.35 mm long while females are around 2.84 mm. (K & B, 2013) | Uncommon to rare, recorded from a few counties in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain. Has been collected from April through September. | Has been found in grassy, open areas | |||||||||
| Xenoliarus montanus | The vertex and mesonotum are dark brown, with the mesonotal carinae brownish to dull orange. The vertex is broad, with the median length noticeably less than the width at the apex of the posterior emargination. The face is typically castaneous in color, sometimes fuscous; the carinae range from yellow to orange. The wings vary from lightly to moderately spotted, with most of this speckling along the clavus and apical portions of the corium, sometimes a three or less spots in the costal cell. The wing venation is brownish with some white and dark sections interspersed; the stigma is brown. Adult males are 7.0 to 7.6 mm long. (Mead & Kramer, 1982) | Recorded from a few counties across the state, likely under collected. | Mountainous, hilly areas | Has been collected from Hickory (Carya sp.) (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) | ||||||||
| Pentastirini unidentified species | Mixed hardwood forest, forest edge, grassy areas, etc. | |||||||||||
| Ophiderma flavicephala | Females are brown to rufous overall with a pale yellow lateral stripe on each side of the pronotum. Females are densely pubescent with long hairs, and the pronotum gradually slopes downwards. The wings have a broad rufous/brown base and a dark tip. The head is much broader than long and sparingly pubescent with long hairs; there is a small black spot above the ocelli, which are prominent and a brilliant red. The undersurface of the thorax is fuscous, and the abdomen is yellowish. Legs are reddish-brown. Males are slightly smaller than females but much darker, with a black pronotum. The lateral stripes are a bright white on the males, and there is a white transverse band near the rear tip of the abdomen (sometimes this band is broken or incomplete). Males also have heavier pubescence, especially on the anterior part of the pronotum, compared to the female. Adults are between 5.5 and 6.0 mm long. (Kopp, 1973) Nymphs are dark brownish-rufous overall. | Scattered records across the state, uncommon to common. Seasonal distribution: 23 April-18 June (CTNC) | Has been found near mixed hardwood forest; where oak is present. | Quercus alba, Q. coccinea, Q. falcata, Q. nigra, Q. palustris, Q. phellos, Q. rubra var. ambigua, Q. stellata (CTNC) | ||||||||
| Cyrtolobus fuscipennis | A reddish-brown species that is highly variable in coloration. Males have a reddish face and a low pronotum with bold, pale transverse lines/vittae and a bold mid-dorsal whitish spot; the pronotum is reddish-brown with some black. The underside of the body is black, and the forewings, which far exceed past the pronotum, are smoky and broadly infuscated at the apices. The legs are pale with the femora black above. Females have large, prominent ocelli (light-sensing organ on head), which are red. The pronotum is reddish-brown, more so than on the male, and with fainter pale transverse bands; in some individuals the rear transverse line is absent, resulting in the pronotum being posteriorly uniform in color. The pronotal crest is low (but still higher than on the male, which mostly lacks a crest), and the head is a gray-green color, deeply punctate with black; the areas next to the eyes are black. The underside of the thorax is reddish-brown, while the abdomen is yellowish; legs are reddish. Adult males are 5.5 mm long, while females are 6 mm long and 2.4 mm wide. (Kopp, 1973) | Uncommon, recorded across the state. Seasonal distribution: 24 April-22 July (CTNC) | Has been found near mixed hardwood forest habitat. | Quercus alba, Q. nigra (CTNC); also reported from bur oak, red oak, blackjack oak and post oak (Kopp, 1973). | ||||||||
| sciName | description | abundance | habitat | food | ||||||||
| 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 | ||||||||
| Pissonotus marginatus | A dark brown to reddish-brown to black shiny species which is sexually dimorphic. The frons is a light brown color, with a darker brown, contrasting clypeus. The antennal segments are a light brown. In brachypterous males, the wings are a dark brown with a thin white apical margin. In females, the wings lack the white apical margin. Macropterous individuals are similar in color to brachypters but have clear wings. The antennae are stramineous. Adult brachypterous males are 2.38-2.90 mm long, while females are 2.54-3.40 mm; macropterous females are 3.81-3.88 mm. (Bartlett & Deitz, 2000) For more images of this species, see: BG. | Recorded across the state where it is uncommon. | Montane grassy areas | Carex sp. (Cyperaceae), Solidago sp. (goldenrod; Asteraceae) (UDEL) | ||||||||
| Pendarus franconianus | A chestnut-brown species with pale whitish bands on the wings. The wings of the males are darker than the pronotum, with indistinct broken whitish bands; females are paler overall, with thicker and more distinct whitish bands. In both sexes, the pronotum is orange-brown, darker posteriorly; in females, the pronotum is paler than the wings. The female pregenital sternite has a prominent posterior projection, with a slight median notch; the lateral lobes at the base of the projection are rounded. Adult males are 4.4-5.5 mm long, while females are 4.8-5.7 mm. (Hamilton 1975) For additional pics of specimens of this species, see: BOLD. The first two specimens here look like females based on the width of the pale bands, the third specimen may be a male. | Rare, a couple records from the northern mountains and lower Piedmont; possibly occurs elsewhere in the western part of the state. | Woodlands | Pinus strobus, P. rigida, P. virginiana (Hamilton 1975) | ||||||||
| Stictocephala brevitylus | A greenish species with prominent horns and light speckling across the pronotum. The tips of the horns and the ridge of the pronotum are reddish. The key characteristics of this species are the dark, reddish-brown legs and the black ventral sides of the thorax; this helps separate it from most other species in this genus that look similar. Females are 8-9 mm long, while males are 7-8 mm. For more, see FSCA. | Seasonal distribution: 5 April-2 July (CTNC) | Has been found near mixed hardwood forest. | Aster sp., Ceanothus sp., Chrysanthemum leucanthemum, Helianthus sp., Morus sp., Quercus falcata, Robinia pseudoacacia, Rubus argutus, Sarracenia flava, Smilax sp., Solanum tuberosum, Vaccinium sp., Vitis sp. (CTNC); also on Eupatorium capillifolium, Gleditsia triacanthos, Ostrya virginiana, Sambucus canadensis (CTGSMNP) | ||||||||
| 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. | ||||||||
| Xestocephalus provancheri | It ranges in color from an orange-brown to dark brown, with wing cells darkening towards the apex of the wings. The head, pronotum, and scutellum tend to be a largely uniform orange-brown color with no defined markings. The legs and frons are pale yellowish-brown while the venter and dorsum of the body are dark (and usually darker in females). Females have a pregenital sternite that has a concave posterior margin. Adult males are around 3.0 mm long, females are 3.25 mm. (BG) For more pics of this species, see: BG. | A few records from across the state, likely more abundant and just under collected. | ||||||||||
| 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) | ||||||||
| sciName | description | abundance | habitat | food | ||||||||
| Colladonus furculatus | The head and thorax are black and yellow, with the wings blackish-brown and yellow. The black band on the anterior margin of the pronotum extends notably onto the posterior margin of the vertex, resulting in a thicker and more prominent band on the body. The head has the anterior margin rounded. The female pregenital sternite is about 3 times as wide as long, with the posterior margin somewhat concave on either side of a median spatulate process, with the median emargination broadly V-shaped and deep; the spatulate process is about 5 times as long as the basal width and is produced considerably beyond the posterior margin, with the sides parallel and the apex bifid. Adults are 4.5-5.0 mm long. (Beirne, 1956; Nielson, 1957) For images of pinned specimens, see: BOLD. For more images of live individuals, see: BG. | Rare, recorded recently from a couple counties in the Piedmont and mountains. Likely over-looked and under-collected. | Low vegetation bordering woods (Nielson, 1957) | ? | ||||||||
| Bruchomorpha minima | A small species with an occasional narrow, light rusty median dorsal band on the face and vertex. This is one of the darkest species in the genus, with the body and wings being almost entirely black and the legs dark. The body has parallel lateral margins, and the wing venation is not very distinct. The face is relatively flat, with a slight 'nose' protruding downwards. Adults are 1.9-2.4 mm long. (Doering, 1939) | Scattered records across the state, infrequently encountered. | ? | |||||||||
| Erythroneura palimpsesta | A fairly distinctive species with a yellow or white dorsum and a red, orange, or brown (ranging to blackish) color pattern of oblique markings forming a continuous zigzag pattern. There is a dark spot on the costal margin of the wings, apical cell II has a distal spot, and the inner apical cell has a brown spot basally. The vertex has orange parrallel submedial lines, which often have a lateral branch; the vertex midline is pale; the face is also pale. The prontoum has Y or V-shaped markings, while the mesonotum is pale, with distinctive dark lateral triangles that, together with the dark apex, contrast with the pale areas. The underside of the thorax has a dark mesosternum, with the remainder pale. Adults are 2.8- 3.0 mm long. (Dmitriev & Dietrich, 2007) For more images of this species, see: BG. | Recorded recently from a one county in the piedmont, likely more abundant in this region. | Lonicera sp. (3I) | |||||||||
| Monorachis sordulentus | A dark species that is typically brackypterous (shortened, reduced wings); macropterous individuals are less common. The wings are mottled, and the apical cells of the forewings are comparatively broad. There are three prominent ridges (carinae) on the thorax, and the frons is very wide with the midlength and greatest width subequal to one another. (UDEL) See here for images of a pinned specimen. For more images of this species, see: BG. | Rare, recorded from a couple counties 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) | ||||||||
| 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) | ||||||||
| sciName | description | abundance | habitat | food | ||||||||
| 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) | ||||||||||||
| 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) | ||||||||
| sciName | description | abundance | habitat | food | ||||||||
| 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. | ||||||||||
| 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) | ||||||||
| 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) | ||||||||
| 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) | ||||||||
| sciName | description | abundance | habitat | food | ||||||||
| 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) | ||||||||