Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

CICADELLIDAE Members:	NC Records
Paraulacizes irrorata - Speckled Sharpshooter

Taxonomy

Family: CICADELLIDAE	Subfamily: Cicadellinae	Tribe: Proconiini
Taxonomic Author: (Fabricius, 1794)

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist Google
Description: Unmistakeable, this is the only speckled sharpshooter in the state. Adults are fairly large, 12mm in length, and usually have a mostly dark blue to black body with many yellowish to white spots/speckles. On each side of the body is a yellow "band" which widens into a white band around the sides of the head. Lastly, the front of the face has a slight pinkish tint on the white. Some adults, tenerals, can have a different coloration pattern; they are much lighter with brownish wings and a greenish head, and the eyes have a red line on the side. Other adults can have extremely vibrant and striking coloration. Nymphs are small and green with a very hairy body (distinct for this species), especially the face, and short hind legs. BG

Distribution in North Carolina

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

Distribution: A widespread species found from southeastern Ontario, throughout the eastern United States, to Texas and into Mexico. BG

Abundance: This species has been recorded across the state where it is uncommon to locally common.

Seasonal Occurrence

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

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: This species occurs in a variety of habitats, including grassy/brushy areas, forest edge, and mixed hardwood forest habitat.

Plant Associates: Asteraceae: Cirsium altissimum (tall thistle), Cirsium sp., Conyza canadensis (horseweed), Lactuca serriola (prickly lettuce), Silphium integrifolium (wholeleaf rosinweed); Poaceae: Elymus virginicus (Virginia wild rye), Sorghum sp. (cultivated sorghum) (BG). Also found on Rhus copallina, Rhus glabra, Solidago, Robinia pseudoacacia, Phytolacca, Pinus, and Rubus (DL).

Behavior: This species overwinters as adults in leaf-litter surrounding shrubs and trees. It moves from open, grassy areas to the forest in the fall and then back during the spring to lay eggs; in the fall large migrations of this species to the forest can occur. (1)

This species can be attracted at night with lights, but it is more frequently encountered during the day on herbaceous vegetation.

Comment: Eggs from this species can be parasitized by a mymarid wasp, Gonatocerus fasciatus. BG

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Paraulacizes irrorata Speckled Sharpshooter
	Photo by: Hunter Phillips, Mark Shields Onslow Co. Comment:	Photo by: Hunter Phillips, Mark Shields Onslow Co. Comment:
	Photo by: K. Bischof Transylvania Co. Comment: GORG	Photo by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment: Attracted to front porch light
	Photo by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment: Attracted to front porch light	Photo by: Ted Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Ted Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Simpson Eason Brunswick Co. Comment:	Photo by: Hunter Phillips Onslow Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Hunter Phillips Onslow Co. Comment:	Photo by: Hunter Phillips Onslow Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Erich Hofmann New Hanover Co. Comment:	Photo by: Erich Hofmann New Hanover Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/120084464	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/119270449
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/119270449	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/119270449
	Photo by: Vin Stanton Buncombe Co. Comment: semi-wooded residential neighborhood	Photo by: Vin Stanton Buncombe Co. Comment: semi-wooded residential neighborhood
	Photo by: Erich Hofmann New Hanover Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/61442954	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Caught sweeping in weedy field near woods.
	Photo by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther Craven Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/51373334	Photo by: Mark Shields Onslow Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Vin Stanton Buncombe Co. Comment:	Photo by: Vin Stanton Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Randy Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: UV light	Photo by: Randy Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: UV light
	Photo by: Tracy S. Feldman Wake Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Tracy S. Feldman Wake Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Randy L Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: uv light	Photo by: Amanda Auxier Pender Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Yancey Co. Comment:	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Yancey Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Yancey Co. Comment:	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Greenway - weedy edge of woods.
	Photo by: Paul Scharf, B Bockhahn Rowan Co. Comment: Nymph. Caught sweeping	Photo by: T. DeSantis Camden Co. Comment: DISW - Boardwalk. On Great Mullein
	Photo by: T. DeSantis Camden Co. Comment: DISW	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf Wake Co. Comment: tall grassy habitat; a teneral individual
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf Wake Co. Comment: tall grassy habitat; a teneral individual	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf Wake Co. Comment: tall grassy habitat; a teneral individual
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Moore Co. Comment: sandhills (pine forest) habitat with lots of shrubby vegetation; nymph	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Moore Co. Comment: sandhills (pine forest) habitat with lots of shrubby vegetation; nymph
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Moore Co. Comment: sandhills (pine forest) habitat with lots of shrubby vegetation; late stage nymph	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Moore Co. Comment: sandhills (pine forest) habitat with lots of shrubby vegetation; late stage nymph
	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: NYMPH, Caught Sweeping	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: Nymph, caught sweeping
	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Nymph, caught sweeping	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest habitat
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest habitat	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Caught while sweeping

Paraulacizes irrorata - Speckled Sharpshooter

Species Photo Gallery for Paraulacizes irrorata Speckled Sharpshooter