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

Ophiderma flavicephala - No Common Name



© Kyle Kittelberger- male

© Kyle Kittelberger- male

© Matthew S. Wallace- female

© Rob Van Epps
Taxonomy
Family: MEMBRACIDAESubfamily: Smiliinae
Taxonomic Author: Goding
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF  iNaturalist                                                                                  
Description: Females are brown to rufous overall with a pale yellow lateral stripe on each side of the pronotum. Females are densely pubescent with long hairs, and the pronotum gradually slopes downwards. The wings have a broad rufous/brown base and a dark tip. The head is much broader than long and sparingly pubescent with long hairs; there is a small black spot above the ocelli, which are prominent and a brilliant red. The undersurface of the thorax is fuscous, and the abdomen is yellowish. Legs are reddish-brown. Males are slightly smaller than females but much darker, with a black pronotum. The lateral stripes are a bright white on the males, and there is a white transverse band near the rear tip of the abdomen (sometimes this band is broken or incomplete). Males also have heavier pubescence, especially on the anterior part of the pronotum, compared to the female. Adults are between 5.5 and 6.0 mm long. (Kopp, 1973)
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: Eastern and central North America
Abundance: Scattered records across the state, uncommon. Seasonal distribution: 23 April-18 June (CTNC)
Seasonal Occurrence
Jan
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Dec
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Has been found near mixed hardwood forest; where oak is present.
Plant Associates: Quercus alba, Q. coccinea, Q. falcata, Q. nigra, Q. palustris, Q. phellos, Q. rubra var. ambigua, Q. stellata (CTNC)
Behavior: To listen to the male courtship call for this genus, listen here. These courtship calls are not audible to the human ear, and the calls here are produced by recording the substrate vibrations that the treehoppers use to communicate through the plants themselves. The recorded call is then amplified so that it is now audible to human ears. Research has shown that treehoppers use vibrations to attract mates, to announce the discovery of a good feeding site, or to alert a defending mother to the approach of a predator (T.IM).
Comment: Can be attracted at night with a light.
Status: Native
Global and State Rank:
See also Habitat Account for General Oak-Hickory Forests

Species Photo Gallery for Ophiderma flavicephala No Common Name

Photo by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Found on Willow Oak
Photo by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Found on Willow Oak
Photo by: Simpson Eason
Durham Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Simpson Eason
Durham Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: stuck in Tanglefoot on a tree brand on oak
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 6 mm females trapped in Tanglefoot on a tree band on Quercus phellos
Photo by: Mark Shields
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger
Wake Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger
Wake Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger
Wake Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger
Wake Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger
Wake Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger
Wake Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 6 mm female on Willow Oak, Quercus phellos, stuck in Tanglefoot on a tree band (alive)
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 6 mm female on Willow Oak, Quercus phellos, stuck in Tanglefoot on a tree band (alive)
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: female, on Willow Oak, Quercus phellos, stuck in Tanglefoot on a tree bandrn
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: female, on Willow Oak, Quercus phellos, stuck in Tanglefoot on a tree bandrn
Photo by: Paul Scharf, B Bockhahn, L. Amos
Warren Co.
Comment: Attracted to UV & Black Lights
Photo by: F. Williams, S. Williams
Gates Co.
Comment: MEMI
Photo by: Matthew S. Wallace
Out Of State Co.
Comment: female
Photo by: Paul Scharf, B Bockhahn, L. Amos
Warren Co.
Comment: Attracted to UV & Black Lights
Photo by: Paul Scharf, B Bockhahn, L. Amos
Warren Co.
Comment: Attracted to UV & Black Lights
Photo by: Paul Scharf, B Bockhahn, L. Amos
Warren Co.
Comment: Attracted to UV & Black Lights
Photo by: Paul Scharf, B Bockhahn, L. Amos
Warren Co.
Comment: Attracted to UV & Black Lights