Hoppers of North Carolina:
Spittlebugs, Leafhoppers, Treehoppers, and Planthoppers
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MEMBRACIDAE Members: NC Records

Spissistilus festinus - Three-cornered Alfalfa Hopper


© Kyle Kittelberger
© Kyle Kittelberger
© Mark J. Rothschild- nymph
Taxonomy
Family: MEMBRACIDAESubfamily: SmiliinaeSynonym: Ceresa festina
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF  iNaturalist                                                                                  
Description: A green species with a white or red stripe along the front edges of the pronotum. This species has a curved pronotum, lacking a crest or any horns. The front of the pronotum appears 'fat', and there may be faint pale speckling on the pronotum. The wings are hyaline and the legs are green, helping differentiate this from S. lutea. Adults are 6-7 mm long (FSCA).
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: A common species found throughout the United States, Canada, Central America, and the Caribbean (FSCA).
Abundance: Common, found throughout the state. Seasonal distribution: 19 February-19 December (CTNC)
Seasonal Occurrence
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Found in a variety of habitats
Plant Associates: Arachis hypogaea, Aster ericoides, Glycine max, Helianthus sp., Lespedeza sp., Medicago sativa, Phaseolus vulgaris, Sarracenia flava, Solidago sp. (CTNC)
Behavior:
Comment: This species has many host plant associations, including many cultivated legumes and grasses, though seldom does this species cause significant damage (FSCA).
Status: Native
Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Spissistilus festinus Three-cornered Alfalfa Hopper

Photo by: Mark Basinger
Nash Co.
Comment: Old field-successional pine hardwood forest. 		Photo by: Mark Basinger
Lenoir Co.
Comment: Fell from shrubs while beat sheeting for spiders.
Photo by: Mark Basinger
Lenoir Co.
Comment: Fell from shrubs while beat sheeting for spiders. 		Photo by: Mark Basinger
Wilson Co.
Comment: Caught while beat sheeting for spiders.
Photo by: Mark Basinger
Wilson Co.
Comment: Caught while beat sheeting for spiders.		Photo by: Mark Basinger
Wilson Co.
Comment: Caught while beat sheeting for spiders.
Photo by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: forest edge		Photo by: John Petranka
Halifax Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: stuck in a tree band put up in mid-December, hence active between then and 1/12		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/104052232
Photo by: John Petranka
Dare Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: John Petranka
Orange Co.
Comment: New Hope Creek Biodiversity Survey
Photo by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/66432755		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/65651849
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/65651849		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/53864464
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/53864464		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/50836764
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/50836769		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/50836769
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 5.4 mm, could have collected as many as I wanted during sweep of grassy area within wet detention basin		Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 5.4 mm, could have collected as many as I wanted during sweep of grassy area within wet detention basin
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/49981083		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/49981092
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/49981092		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/49981092
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/49667084		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/49267799
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/49267799		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/49267799
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/49267799		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/49267799
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/47920840		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/47920840
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/47920840		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/39850283
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/39253681		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/39253681
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/39253681		Photo by: Mark Shields
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28477241		Photo by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping. Weedy power line near hardwoods. Brown coloration (I've not seen this before) was on both sides but more prominent on the side shown.
Photo by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping. Weedy power line near hardwoods. Brown coloration (I\'ve not seen this before) was on both sides but more prominent on the side shown. 		Photo by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping. Weedy power line near hardwoods. Brown coloration (I\\\'ve not seen this before) was on both sides but more prominent on the side shown.
Photo by: Amber Sauder
Harnett Co.
Comment: unid_treehopper		Photo by: Ric Carter
Beaufort Co.
Comment: Browsing flower center
Photo by: Tracy Feldman
Scotland Co.
Comment: unid_treehopper		Photo by: Tracy S. Feldman
Scotland Co.
Comment: unid_treehopper
Photo by: Tracy S. Feldman
Scotland Co.
Comment: unid_treehopper		Photo by: R Emmitt
Orange Co.
Comment: posed in bright sun.
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Captured using a butterfly sweep net while whacking several Groundsel bushes growing along the edge of school athletic fields.		Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Captured using a butterfly sweep net while whacking several Groundsel bushes growing along the edge of school athletic fields.
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Captured using a butterfly sweep net while whacking several Groundsel bushes growing along the edge of school athletic fields.		Photo by: T. DeSantis
Camden Co.
Comment: DISW
Photo by: Tracy S. Feldman
Scotland Co.
Comment: unid_treehopper		Photo by: Tracy S. Feldman
Scotland Co.
Comment: unid_treehopper
Photo by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Grassy open area.		Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Wake Co.
Comment: grassy, field-type habitat near pond edge
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Wake Co.
Comment: grassy, field-type habitat near pond edge		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: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Caught Sweeping		Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Vance Co.
Comment: Found in grassy field/forest edge habitat
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Rockingham Co.
Comment: open forest habitat near pond		Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Found on Flowering shrub, Spiraea cantoniensis
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Found on Flowering shrub, Spiraea cantoniensis		Photo by: Mark J. Rothschild
Out Of State Co.
Comment: nymph
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Vance Co.
Comment: Found in grassy field/forest edge habitat		Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Wake Co.
Comment: grassy, field-type habitat near pond edge
Photo by: Paul Scharf, B Bockhahn,C Mitchell
Durham Co.
Comment: Spotted on Vegetation		Photo by: T. DeSantis
Camden Co.
Comment: DISW
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping