Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

DERBIDAE Members:	NC Records
Otiocerus coquebertii - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family: DERBIDAE	Tribe: Otiocerini
Taxonomic Author: (Kirby, 1821)

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist Google
Description: A boldly marked species with forked red bands on otherwise pale, whitish wings, running along the claval suture of the wings before forking towards the apices. There is an additional small red dash on the wings, below the main red band on the clavus. The red lines continue onto the sides of the thorax, extending as a broad red stripe across the sides of the head; the short antennae are also reddish. The head is large and rostrate, and the legs are pale. Adults are about 8.75 mm long. (Dozier 1922) Some individuals of this species are almost entirely red, a very striking appearance. This form is infrequently encountered and is known as var. rubidus.

Distribution in North Carolina

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

Distribution: Eastern United States & Canada (UDEL)

Abundance: Scattered records across the state, primarily in the Piedmont and mountains, where it is uncommon to scarce; possibly 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: Near mixed hardwood forest.

Plant Associates: Derbidae are known or assumed to feed on fungal hyphae as immatures. Adults have been found to associate with Fagus (Beach, Fagaceae), Quercus (Oak, Fagaceae), and Acer (maple, Aceraceae). (UDEL); also from Oxydendrum arboreum (Sourwood).

Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light; may be found overwintering in logs. (UDEL)

Comment: Teneral individuals do not have the colors and patterns characteristic of the adults developed yet, and can therefore appear different. This is true for all species in this genus.

Variety 'rubidus' was previously considered a subspecies of O. coquebertii, but recent research has shown that rubidus and the nominate subspecies have inseparable genitalia. Therefore, rubidus is just a color form of O. coquebertii. (Hendrix & Bartlett, 2023)

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Otiocerus coquebertii No Common Name
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Watauga Co. Comment: Wooded neighborhood at high elevation.	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Watauga Co. Comment: Wooded neighborhood at high elevation.
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_planthopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_planthopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_planthopper	Photo by: Cesar Castillo Madison Co. Comment: unid_planthopper
	Photo by: Cesar Castillo Madison Co. Comment:	Photo by: Scott Bolick Guilford Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Scott Bolick Guilford Co. Comment:	Photo by: SCOTT R BOLICK Guilford Co. Comment:
	Photo by: SCOTT R BOLICK Guilford Co. Comment:	Photo by: SCOTT R BOLICK Guilford Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin Madison Co. Comment:	Photo by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin Madison Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin Madison Co. Comment:	Photo by: Floyd Williams Gates Co. Comment:
	Photo by: E. Corey, K. Bischof Transylvania Co. Comment: GORG - UV light and sheet at Ranger Residence on Frozen Creek Road	Photo by: E. Corey, K. Bischof Transylvania Co. Comment: GORG
	Photo by: Floyd Williams Gates Co. Comment:

Otiocerus coquebertii - No Common Name

Species Photo Gallery for Otiocerus coquebertii No Common Name