Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

CICADELLIDAE Members:	NC Records
Oncometopia orbona - Broad-headed Sharpshooter

Taxonomy

Family: CICADELLIDAE

Subfamily: Cicadellinae

Tribe: Proconiini

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist Google
Description: One of our most recognizable, distinct leafhoppers and also one of the largest in the state at 11-12mm (BG). This species has a mostly blue body with black markings; the color is typically a light blue, but some individuals can also appear dark blue. The tip of the wings are a solid dark, blackish color. The front of the head, as well as the scutellum, legs, and underside of the body are yellow. The nymph shares a similar body shape to the adults, especially the head. Nymphs typically have a mostly greenish body, especially the abdomen, with a pale head; the eyes are dark, sometimes red.

Distribution in North Carolina

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

Distribution: A common and widespread species, recorded throughout the eastern U.S., from Texas through the Southeast and parts of the Central U.S., northeast to Pennsylvania (per Bugguide records). BG

Abundance: Very common species, has been recorded throughout the Piedmont and Coastal Plain, as well as in the Mountains.

Seasonal Occurrence

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

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: A common inhabitant of grassy, field-type, brushy habitat as well as forest edge. Has also been found in mixed hardwood forests and pine forests.

Plant Associates: This species is host to dozens of plant species, including Silphium integrifolium and Catalpa. For a complete list of host plants, see this page: host plants. Has been found on pickerel weed before.

Behavior: This species forages on herbaceous plants in the warmer months in grassy, brushy habitats and moves to forests in the Fall where it lives on trees and shrubs behavior.

Can be attracted at night with black lights, but not too often; most commonly found during daytime searches or resting on herbaceous vegetation.

Comment: O. orbona is a vector of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, which causes Pierce's disease on grapes. BHSS

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Oncometopia orbona Broad-headed Sharpshooter
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment:	Photo by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther Cumberland Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/214463184	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/214463184
	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: sweep of low vegetation along the margin of an athletic 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: Erich Hofmann Columbus Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/166510670	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/166510670
	Photo by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther Wayne Co. Comment:	Photo by: Tracy S. Feldman Durham Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment:	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/124328537
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/124049511	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/124049511
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/122597918	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/121952139
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/110777130	Photo by: Mark Shields Onslow Co. Comment:
	Photo by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment: FOMA	Photo by: B. Bockhahn Durham Co. Comment: New Hope Creek Biodiversity Survey (2021-2022)
	Photo by: Nell Cant Durham Co. Comment:	Photo by: Nell Cant Durham Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/91065306	Photo by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther New Hanover Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Simpson Eason Durham Co. Comment:	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/88754534
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/89517212	Photo by: grinnin Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Hopped from Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) leaves to blackberry leaves
	Photo by: grinnin Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Hopped from Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) leaves to blackberry leaves	Photo by: Melanie S Camp Moore Co. Comment: 2 about 4 to 6 inches apart. Both were still except when I would get close, but never went far. I couldn't get a picture of the 2nd one. The shrub is next to my porch in a wooded area in the north west corner of Moore.
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/82748553	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/82748560
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/82748592	Photo by: N. Williamson Moore Co. Comment: WEWO
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/83075146	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/83075148
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/81799992	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/81799992
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/81123505	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/80044010
	Photo by: Barbara McRae Macon Co. Comment: It was resting on stem.	Photo by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther Craven Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther Craven Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther Craven Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther Craven Co. Comment: Very flighty, reacted quickly to our presence and flew off after one picture. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/50834633	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/47569872
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/47569872	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: trapped in Tanglefoot on a tree band
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: stuck in Tanglefoot on a tree band on Quercus phellos	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: found stuck in Tanglefoot on a tree band
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: found stuck in Tanglefoot on a tree band	Photo by: David Enrique Wake Co. Comment: Found inside of a small burrow of a Psen erythropoda wasp (I think), in a house plant pot.
	Photo by: David Enrique Wake Co. Comment: Found inside of a small burrow of a Psen erythropoda wasp (I think), in a house plant pot.	Photo by: David Enrique Wake Co. Comment: Found inside of a small burrow of a Psen erythropoda wasp (I think), in a house plant pot.
	Photo by: David Enrique Wake Co. Comment: Found inside of a small burrow of a Psen erythropoda wasp (I think), in a house plant pot.	Photo by: Jim Petranka Madison Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28970631	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28970631
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28970631	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28705630
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28705630	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28477234
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28477234	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Vin Stanton Buncombe Co. Comment:	Photo by: Tracy S. Feldman Wake Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Tracy S. Feldman Wake Co. Comment:	Photo by: vin stanton Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Randy Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: Moving in and out of holes in cucumber leaves	Photo by: Jacob Lemberg Granville Co. Comment: Insect was shy, moved to opposite side of leaf when I tried to photograph.
	Photo by: R Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: Landed several times on the box elder leaves.	Photo by: Hunter Phillips Onslow Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Dorothy E. Pugh Carteret Co. Comment: FOMA	Photo by: L. Amos Warren Co. Comment: KELA
	Photo by: j.wyche Gates Co. Comment: MEMI	Photo by: R Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: landed on the sheet walked to the top and left the scene.
	Photo by: Tracy S. Feldman Scotland Co. Comment: unid_planthopper	Photo by: Tracy S. Feldman Scotland Co. Comment: unid_planthopper
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Greenway - weedy edge near woods.	Photo by: R Emmitt Durham Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Roger Shaw Wake Co. Comment:	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Caught sweeping
	Photo by: Britta Muiznieks Dare Co. Comment:	Photo by: Paul Scharf, B.Bockhahn Rockingham Co. Comment: Nymph, Caught Sweeping
	Photo by: T. DeSantis Camden Co. Comment: DISW - Boardwalk	Photo by: Paul Scharf Halifax Co. Comment: Caught sweeping
	Photo by: Paul Scharf Halifax Co. Comment: Caught sweeping	Photo by: Paul Scharf Halifax Co. Comment: Caught sweeping
	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Nymph, Caught sweeping	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: NYMPH, Spotted on Unknown Plant Stem
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf Wake Co. Comment: tall grassy habitat	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf Wake Co. Comment: tall grassy habitat
	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: NYNPH, Caught Sweeping	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Orange Co. Comment: Field habitat with a sweetgum edge
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf Wake Co. Comment: tall grassy habitat	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: pine forest habitat; a nymph
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest habitat	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Female , White pouch is wax she secrets to protect her eggs. Caught while sweeping

Oncometopia orbona - Broad-headed Sharpshooter

Species Photo Gallery for Oncometopia orbona Broad-headed Sharpshooter