Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

CICADELLIDAE Members:	NC Records
Erythroneura pontifex - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family: CICADELLIDAE	Subfamily: Typhlocybinae	Tribe: Erythroneurini
Taxonomic Author: (McAtee, 1926)

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist Google
Description: A fairly distinctive reddish-orange and yellow patterned species with two color forms that have smoky wingtips. In one form, the pattern on the thorax and scutellum, which is yellowish-orange in color, transitions and blends into reddish-orange markings on the wings. In the other color form, the body markings are yellow and the base of the wings are yellow, contrasting with a bright, bold 'saddle' in the middle of the wings. In both forms however, the top of the head has two bold black parallel lines with a pale midline. In some individuals, the black marks merge near the pronotum, forming a wide dark patch that encompasses much of the vertex. The face is pale, as is the underside of the thorax outside of the dark mesosternum. Adults are 2.8- 3.1 mm long. (Dmitriev & Dietrich, 2007)

Distribution in North Carolina

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

Out of State Record(s)

Distribution: Central and northeastern United States; previously unknown from North Carolina and the Southeast.

Abundance: Recorded recently from a couple counties in the mountains, likely more abundant in this region.

Seasonal Occurrence

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

Habitats and Life History

Habitats:

Plant Associates: Vitis sp., Rubus sp. (3I)

Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.

Comment: This species is most similar to E. reflecta, with very similar wing color patterns. However, reflecta lacks the black markings on the vertex that pontifex has.

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Erythroneura pontifex No Common Name
	Photo by: Scott Bolick Wilkes Co. Comment:	Photo by: Scott Bolick Wilkes Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Polk Co. Comment:	Photo by: J. Allen Ratzlaff Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Photo by: John Rosenfeld Out Of State Co. Comment:	Photo by: John Rosenfeld Out Of State Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Ken Childs Out Of State Co. Comment:	Photo by: John Rosenfeld Out Of State Co. Comment:
	Photo by: J. Allen Ratzlaff Buncombe Co. Comment:	Photo by: J. Allen Ratzlaff Buncombe Co. Comment:

Erythroneura pontifex - No Common Name

Species Photo Gallery for Erythroneura pontifex No Common Name