Hoppers of North Carolina

Family (Alpha):

DELPHACIDAE Members:	NC Records
Chionomus puellus - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family: DELPHACIDAE

Subfamily: Delphacinae

Tribe: Delphacini

Synonym: Delphacodes puella

Taxonomic Author: (Van Duzee, 1897)

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist Google
Description: A brown to dark brown species with a couple key characteristics: the white ring around the thorax and the black spots down the middle of the wings. However, there is variation with the white ring; some individuals can have a faint ring or not have it at all. Otherwise, the pronotum is black as is the mesonotum (which appears shiny), abdomen, underside of the body, and frons; the carinae of the frons are stramineous to cream in color, and the antennal segments and legs are pale. The wings have a dark mark at the apex of the clavus. Brachypterous males resemble the coloration of macropters but have a bit of variation in body color, ranging from brown to black. Female macropters are much paler than males, being light brown overall but still showing the characteristic black spot on the wings. Note that in the brachypters for this species, the wings typically reach the tip of the abdomen. Macropterous males are around 3.0 mm with a body that is 1.5-1.8 mm long, while females are 3.1 mm with a body that is 1.8-2.2 mm; brachypterous males are 1.4-1.6 mm long while females are 1.6-2.0 mm. (Weglarz & Bartlett, 2020)

Distribution in North Carolina

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

Distribution: Transcontinental, found throughout the United States and Ontario; also Belize, Bermuda, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. The most common Delphacid species in the eastern United States. (Weglarz & Bartlett, 2020)

Abundance: Very common, probably the most common Delphacid in the state.

Seasonal Occurrence

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

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Grassy, brushy areas and forest edge or open forest; also mesic to wet areas

Plant Associates: Gramineous plants, including Galinsoga parviflora and witchgrass (Panicum capillare); probably polyphagous and also reported [association may be unclear for some] from Abelia sp., European alder (Alnus glutinosa), redroot amaranth (Amaranthus retroflexus), common milkweed (Asclepiaas syriaca), wavy hairgrass (Deschampsia flexuosa), alfalfa (Medicago sp.), swamp smartweed (Persicaria hydropiperoides), post oak (Quercus stellata), black willow (Salix nigra), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), grape (Vitis spp.) (Weglarz & Bartlett, 2020)

Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.

Comment: The macropterous form is much more common than the brachypterous form. (DuBose)

This species is closely allied with C. bellicosus (California) and C. pacificus. Additionally, some macropters of C. puellus could be confused with Flavoclypeus andromedus, but note that F. andromedus has red on the base of the wings and parts of the body.

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Chionomus puellus - No Common Name

Species Photo Gallery for Chionomus puellus No Common Name

Species Photo Gallery for Chionomus puellus No Common Name
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 3.4 mm female came to UV light at night	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/215592871
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/215592871	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/215592871
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_planthopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_planthopper
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Caught sweeping along grassy edge of a pond.	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Iredell Co. Comment: Caught sweeping.
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 3 mm, came to UV light at night in an athletic field	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/132474895
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/104052229	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/104052229
	Photo by: John Petranka Orange Co. Comment: New Hope Creek Biodiversity Survey	Photo by: John Petranka Orange Co. Comment: New Hope Creek Biodiversity Survey
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/100957304	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/100957304
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/100957309	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/96838009
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/96838017	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/92620095
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/80971323	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/78612000
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/76627909	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Caught Sweeping
	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Caught Sweeping	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Caught Sweeping
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Wake Co. Comment: grassy habitat	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Wake Co. Comment: grassy habitat
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Orange Co. Comment: Field with sweetgum edge habitat	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Orange Co. Comment: Field with sweetgum edge habitat
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Orange Co. Comment: Field with sweetgum edge habitat	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Orange Co. Comment: Riverine edge, grassy/brushy habitat
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Orange Co. Comment: Riverine edge, grassy/brushy habitat	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Orange Co. Comment: Riverine edge, grassy/brushy habitat
	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Caught Sweeping, Short Winged Form	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Caught Sweeping . Darker Form. IAW Bugguide The dark wing spot is distinctive.
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Vance Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest, open forest, grassy patches; short and long-winged individuals, including a pale specimen	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Vance Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest, open forest, grassy patches; short and long-winged individuals, including a pale specimen
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Vance Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest, open forest, grassy patches; short and long-winged individuals, including a pale specimen	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Vance Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest, open forest, grassy patches; short and long-winged individuals, including a pale specimen
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Vance Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest, open forest, grassy patches; short and long-winged individuals, including a pale specimen	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Vance Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest, open forest, grassy patches; short and long-winged individuals, including a pale specimen
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: grassy lawn	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: grassy lawn
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: grassy lawn	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf Wake Co. Comment: grassy lawn; from CB: "probable, but there is reason to question it - namely that brachypters normally have the wings to the end of the abdomen. I don't see any other likely options"
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf Wake Co. Comment: grassy lawn; from CB: "probable, but there is reason to question it - namely that brachypters normally have the wings to the end of the abdomen. I don't see any other likely options"	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf Wake Co. Comment: grassy lawn; from CB: "probable, but there is reason to question it - namely that brachypters normally have the wings to the end of the abdomen. I don't see any other likely options"
	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Attracted to Light	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Avery Co. Comment: grassy, open area with shrubby vegetation and mixed forest nearby
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Avery Co. Comment: grassy, open area with shrubby vegetation and mixed forest nearby	Photo by: Amanda Auxier Pender Co. Comment: Macropter.
	Photo by: Amanda Auxier Pender Co. Comment: Macropter.	Photo by: F. Williams, S. Williams Gates Co. Comment: MEMI
	Photo by: T. DeSantis Camden Co. Comment: DISW	Photo by: Randy Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: uv light
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 3 mm	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 3 mm
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28970636	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Came to UV light. Yard near woods.
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Came to UV light. Yard near woods.	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/31209190
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/31209213	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/31209213
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/31501662	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/31501656
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/31501640	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/31585270
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32436050	Photo by: Mark Shields Onslow Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32660705	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32660705
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33345625	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33395690
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33501683	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33501683
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33501678	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33501678
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33501677	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33822233
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33822231	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: came to UV light in wooded residential neighborhood along with full-length individuals
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/35900501	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/36033626
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/36033628	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/36033628
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/36480425	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37048517
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37923876	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37923871
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37923874	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37923874
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/38482637	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/38482637
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/38482625	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/38482625
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/43963107	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44789467
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/47920822	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/47920822
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/50092538	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/51144641
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 2.7 mm	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 2.7 mm
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/54210969	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/54451490
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/54451490	Photo by: Erich Hofmann New Hanover Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/59335665	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/61972664
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/63045649	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/63045649
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/63045647	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/63045647
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/63045644	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/63045644
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/64184215	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/65841926
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/65841917	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/65841917
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/65841917	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/65841917
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/65841912	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/36033640 - unid_planthopper
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/34846278 - unid_planthopper	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/34846278 - unid_planthopper
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/31319225 - unid_planthopper	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28451145 - unid_planthopper
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28451138 - unid_planthopper