Hoppers of North Carolina

Hoppers of North Carolina:
Spittlebugs, Leafhoppers, Treehoppers, and Planthoppers

Family (Alpha):

CICADELLIDAE Members:	NC Records
Scaphytopius frontalis - Yellowfaced Leafhopper

Taxonomy

Family: CICADELLIDAE	Subfamily: Deltocephalinae
Taxonomic Author: Van Duzee 1890

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist Google

Description: This species is very dark (the darkest member of the genus) with black wings that have white areolar spots scattered throughout the wings (not restricted to the apical third). The thorax and head are also black, with the latter having a small pale triangular tip to the vertex; the head is also relatively short and is not sharply pointed. Some females are a dark brown rather than black. Both sexes have the characteristic yellow face that strongly contrasts with the rest of the dark body. The male subgenital plates are almost as long as the pygofers, being elongate and somewhat triangular with concave rounded lateral sides near the base. The female pregenital sternite is roundedly produced on the posterior margin. Adults are typically 4.0-4.5 mm long, with males smaller than females and reaching as low as 3.8 mm in length. (DeLong 1948), (Hepner 1947)

Nymphs resemble the adults, having a dark body with a yellowish face.

For diagrams of this species, see: Zahniser.

Distribution in North Carolina

County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.

Distribution: Common and widespread in eastern and central North America, it ranges as far south as Mexico and as far west as Utah [at least] (Hepner 1947)

Abundance: Widespread but uncommon in the state with scattered records in all three regions.

Seasonal Occurrence

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Found in grassy, weedy, brushy areas and forest habitat.

Plant Associates: Has been recorded on Solidago (goldenrod), Vitis rotundifolia, etc.; Heterotheca subaxillaris, wild blackberry (Rubus spp.), Oak trees, clover, alfalfra, grasses, woody shrubs, etc. are listed as host plants (Hepner 1947).

Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.

Comment: NOTE: It is important to photograph the face of individuals of this species so that they can be distinguished from similar Scaphytopius. Males of S. nigrifrons can resemble S. frontalis but differ in the wing pattern (fewer white areolar spots on the wing in nigrifrons) and more importantly in the color of the face: black in nigrifrons, yellow in frontalis.

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Scaphytopius frontalis - Yellowfaced Leafhopper

Species Photo Gallery for Scaphytopius frontalis Yellowfaced Leafhopper

Species Photo Gallery for Scaphytopius frontalis Yellowfaced Leafhopper
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Iredell Co. Comment: Caught sweeping in a weedy field.	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Iredell Co. Comment: Caught sweeping in a weedy field.
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: caught with 2 others while beating Common Ragweed, 4.3 mm
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: caught with 2 others while beating Common Ragweed, 4.3 mm	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: caught with 2 others while beating Common Ragweed, 4.3 mm
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/47920868	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment:	Photo by: FKW Gates Co. Comment: MEMI
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Avery Co. Comment: grassy, brushy field-type habitat in old christmas tree farm	Photo by: Paul Scharf, B. Bockhahn Yancey Co. Comment: Caught sweeping
	Photo by: T. DeSantis Camden Co. Comment: DISW	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Mitchell Co. Comment: grassy, brushy vegetation in the open on the top of the mountain; the bald
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Mitchell Co. Comment: grassy, brushy vegetation in the open on the top of the mountain; the bald	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Mitchell Co. Comment: grassy, brushy vegetation in the open on the top of the mountain; the bald
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Vance Co. Comment: Found in grassy field/forest edge habitat	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Caught Sweping
	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Caught Sweping	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Caught Sweping
	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Caught Sweping