Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

CICADELLIDAE Members:	NC Records
Exitianus exitiosus - Gray Lawn Leafhopper

Taxonomy

Family: CICADELLIDAE	Subfamily: Deltocephalinae
Taxonomic Author: (Uhler, 1880)

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist Google
Description: A distinctive leafhopper that is a pale brown to grayish/silver color overall. There are black spots on the head and edge of the thorax, as well as a thin brown transverse band across the head; these marks are characteristic for this species. There are also two black triangles in the upper corners of the scutellum and a third, smaller triangle between the two larger ones. The wings are clear to silvery white with distinct, contrasting brown venation. The wings also typically extend slightly past the abdomen (BG). Legs are reddish in color. Nymphs are light brown overall but show the characteristic head markings found in the adults.

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: Found across North America, south to Mexico and the West Indies (BG).

Abundance: A common species, recorded across the state with a majority of records from the Piedmont and Coastal Plain.

Seasonal Occurrence

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

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Any grassy, field-type habitat, including forest edges.

Plant Associates: Turfgrasses, etc. This species has been taken from dozens of plants: for a large list of plants, see: DL.

Behavior: This species breeds on any available grass, then flies off to find whatever is available, always choosing the most succulent growth (BG). It can be attracted at night with a light.

Comment: An invasive species, but it is considered native to Mexico and the U.S. (BG). It can be an agricultural pest, as it can transmit the diseases corn stunt spiroplasma (CSS) and maize bushy stunt phytoplasma (MBSP); these diseases are more common in southern Florida (UF).

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Exitianus exitiosus - Gray Lawn Leafhopper

Species Photo Gallery for Exitianus exitiosus Gray Lawn Leafhopper

Species Photo Gallery for Exitianus exitiosus Gray Lawn Leafhopper
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 4.7 mm female, athletic field	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 4.7 mm female, athletic field
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 4.7 mm female, athletic field	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 4.7 mm female, athletic field
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172437467	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: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/111146428
	Photo by: John Petranka Halifax Co. Comment:	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/103107612
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 3.7 mm, caught in a sweep through ankle depth grassy area	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Dare Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/61212120
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Dare Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/61212123	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Dare Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/61212125
	Photo by: Erich Hofmann New Hanover Co. Comment:	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/57782674
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/57782677	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/57489830
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/56672858	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/56672869
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/56087036	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/55853879
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/55853887	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/55556911
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/55556926	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/55090899
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Swain Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/52274656	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/50836746
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/50836746	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 4.5 mm female, athletic field grasses
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 4.5 mm female, athletic field grasses	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/47920843
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/42122926	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/42122926
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/42122926	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/42122926
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/39253686	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/39253686
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/38482626	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/38482626
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/38274778	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/38274778
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/38274778	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37923877
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37923877	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37923880
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37663389	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37663389
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/36921178	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/36921178
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/36921178	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/36921181
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/35900495	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/35900495
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: sweep of athletic field turf	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Yancey Co. Comment: 4.6 mm, sweep of low vegetation adjacent to a bog
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/34808404	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/34223889
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/34201362 Attracted to UV light	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33822235
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33676732	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33676732
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33345608	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33345608
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33345624	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33345643
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33345643	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33345643
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33044019	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33044019
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33044019	Photo by: Matthew Guilin Cabarrus Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Matthew Guilin Cabarrus Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Mark Shields Onslow Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32660710	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32660728
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32558140	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32558140
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32558152	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32558152
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32558152	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32233790
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32233797	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32233797
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/31209233	Photo by: J. B. Sullivan Yancey Co. Comment:
	Photo by: J. B. Sullivan Yancey Co. Comment:	Photo by: J. B. Sullivan Yancey Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/29874479 - unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/29874479 - unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/29874479 - unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/29874473 - unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/29874473 - unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/29874473 - unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28262535	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28262533
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28262533	Photo by: Randy Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: uv light - unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Randy Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: uv light - unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 5mm, female, swept from grass of athletic field
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 5mm, female, swept from grass of athletic field	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 5mm, female, swept from grass of athletic field
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 4.3mm	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 4.3mm
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Open area near woods. Attracted to black light.	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Open area near woods. Attracted to black light.
	Photo by: T. DeSantis Camden Co. Comment: DISW	Photo by: Ken Childs Out Of State Co. Comment: nymph
	Photo by: Ken Childs Out Of State Co. Comment: nymph	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Common while sweeping short cut grass. Also attracted to Black Lights
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf Wake Co. Comment: grass habitat	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Wake Co. Comment: grassy, field-type habitat
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Wake Co. Comment: grassy, field-type habitat	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Wake Co. Comment: grassy, field-type habitat
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Wake Co. Comment: grassy, field-type habitat	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Caught Sweeping
	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Common while sweeping short cut grass. Also attracted to Black Lights