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

Megamelus davisi - Common Waterlily Planthopper



© Kyle Kittelberger- macropter

© Samuel Ray- brachypters

© Charles Bartlett- male, note wings

© Charles Bartlett- female, note wings
Taxonomy
Family: DELPHACIDAESubfamily: DelphacinaeTribe: Delphacini
Taxonomic Author: Van Duzee, 1897
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF  iNaturalist                                                                                  
Description: Beamer notes that this species is dark brown in color, with the lobes of the ninth abdomenal segment black. Both brachypterous males and females are dark brown, sometimes blackish, though there are two interrupted lines of pale spots spanning the abdomen. Adult brachypters though can be fairly light in color, with dark abdominal and lateral bands. The crown is more than twice as long as the apical width and project about a third its length in front of the eyes. The frons is brown to dark brown in both males and females, and the antennal segments are dark. Brachypterous males are 3.2 mm long while females are 3.8 mm (Beamer, 1955). Macropterous individuals are black, sometimes showing a thin pale middorsal stripe down the head and thorax. There is a small black spot on the middle of the inner margin of the wings; the base of the wings are also black. The antennal segments are light brown though. See here for images of a pinned macropterous male: BG.

Nymphs are yellow with dark brown markings, though individuals that overwinter are dark brown to grayish with light brown and pale yellow markings (W & M, 1981).

For additional images of this species, see: BG.

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 United States; introduced in Hawaii (UDEL)
Abundance: Can be locally abundant, recorded from three counties in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain; probably more abundant in the right habitat.
Seasonal Occurrence
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Has been found in grassy areas near mixed hardwood forest. Areas where water lilies occur.
Plant Associates: Water lily (Nymphaea spp.), American white water lily (Nymphaea odorata Aiton as Castalia odorata); pond lily (Nuphar advena; Nymphaeaceae); Pontederia cordata (Pontederiaceae); alligatorweed (Alternanthera philoxeroides: Amaranthaceae) (UDEL)
Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.
Comment: M. davisi overwinters as a 5th instar nymph in leaf litter along the shore near waterlilies (or other host plants). Eggs are parasitized by mymarid wasps and adults are parasitized by a pipunculid fly, Pipunculus varius. Nymphs are preyed upon by a water treader, Mesovelia mulsanti. For more information and descriptions of the various nymph instars of this species, see: W & M, 1981.
Status: Native
Global and State Rank:
See also Habitat Account for General Herbaceous Ponds

Species Photo Gallery for Megamelus davisi Common Waterlily Planthopper

Photo by: Samuel Ray
Wake Co.
Comment: Nymphs were scattered across several Spatterdock leaves in stagnant water.
Photo by: Samuel Ray
Wake Co.
Comment: Nymphs were scattered across several Spatterdock leaves in stagnant water.
Photo by: Samuel Ray
Wake Co.
Comment: Nymphs were scattered across several Spatterdock leaves in stagnant water.
Photo by: Samuel Ray
Wake Co.
Comment: Scattered across several Spatterdock leaves in stagnant water.
Photo by: unknown
Out Of State Co.
Comment: malernphotos provided by C.R. Bartlett
Photo by: unknown
Out Of State Co.
Comment: malernphotos provided by C.R. Bartlett
Photo by: unknown
Out Of State Co.
Comment: malernphotos provided by C.R. Bartlett
Photo by: unknown
Out Of State Co.
Comment: femalerncollection date unknownrnphotos provided by C.R. Bartlett
Photo by: unknown
Out Of State Co.
Comment: femalerncollection date unknownrnphotos provided by C.R. Bartlett
Photo by: unknown
Out Of State Co.
Comment: femalerncollection date unknownrnphotos provided by C.R. Bartlett
Photo by: Rebeccah Cope
Wake Co.
Comment: brachypters
Photo by: Rebeccah Cope
Wake Co.
Comment: brachypters
Photo by: Rebeccah Cope
Wake Co.
Comment: brachypters
Photo by: Rebeccah Cope
Wake Co.
Comment:
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, Paul Scharf
Wake Co.
Comment: grassy habitat