Hoppers of North Carolina:
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CICADELLIDAE Members: NC Records

Draeculacephala antica - No Common Name



© Kyle Kittelberger- note the long downwards
facing nose

© Kyle Kittelberger- top view; not the long head

© Kyle Kittelberger- note long head

© Kyle Kittelberger- note whitish wing venation
Taxonomy
Family: CICADELLIDAESubfamily: Cicadellinae
Taxonomic Author: (Walker 1851b: 771)
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF  iNaturalist                                                                                  
Description: A mostly green species with hints of yellow, especially on the face. The underside is typically pale, varying from light to dark brown, while the face can be somewhat dark. The forewing veins are whitish and there are dark brown markings on the mesosterna just behind the front coxae (when viewed from underneath). The wings also appear short in relation to the head length compared to that in other species. The head is edged with a bold black line on the sides, and the head is slightly downcurved when viewed from the side. A medium sized species, males are 6.3- 7.7 mm long (ranging as small as 6.1), while females are 7.3-8.6 mm (on occasion ranging as small as 6.0 mm). (Dietrich 1994), (Hamilton 1985)
Distribution in North Carolina
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Distribution: A transcontinental species, found primarily east of the Rocky Mountains; common and widespread in the Eastern and Central parts of the country (BG).
Abundance: A common to locally common species in the state, recorded across the region with a majority of records from the Piedmont and mountains, though probably more abundant in the right habitat.
Seasonal Occurrence
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
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Dec
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Found in brushy, grassy, field-type habitats, as well as open forest. Also a common inhabitant of lawns and typically more commonly found on planted, non-native grasses than native ones.
Plant Associates: Lawn grass, native grasses, Trifolium pratense (red clover), etc.
Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.
Comment: The blue form in this species (and other Draeculacephalas) is very rare.

D. antica is one of several Draeculacephala that occur in North Carolina that can be quite challenging to distinguish from each other. It is very important to make sure that detailed, clear photos are taken for many of these challenging species, showing side profile and underside shots (to determine sex). Obtaining a measurement of the specimen can also be very crucial. Below are some features that can help distinguish the challenging Draeculacephalas from one another.

antica- pale underside, face can be a little dark; forewing veins whitish. Male (6.1 or 6.3-7.7 mm), Female (6.0, 7.3-8.6 mm); head edged with bold black line; head slightly downcurved; dark brown markings on the mesosterna just behind the front coxae- these are absent in constricta, which is otherwise very similar

bradleyi- females and male have a black face, venter is pale brownish (lighter in males, darker in females). Male (less than 6.6 mm), Female (less than 8.0 mm)

constricta- lacks blue pigment on wing veins and pronotum, yellow face and venter; black line edging on side of head not as bold as antica. Male (less than 6.6mm), Female (less than 8.0 mm)

mollipes- yellow face, yellow venter; black line edging not as bold as antica. Blue pigment on some veins and usually on pronotal lines; resembles a smaller version of robinsoni. Male (less than 6.6 mm), Female (less than 8.0 mm)

portola- resembles robinsoni, but has inflated face profile; larger than most robinsoni, male (~8.1 mm), female (9.9-10.6 mm) but lacks the blue pigmentation on veins and pronotum that robinsoni has; strictly coastal, rare

robinsoni- blue pigmentation on the pronotum and forewing venation; male abdomen usually mostly dark brown ventrally; male with crown shorter than or subequal in length to pronotum, female crown noticeably longer; abdominal sterna color extremely variable, typically entirely brown with various amounts of yellow; ranges from yellowish or yellowish-brown to blackish. Males much darker ventrally than females, sometimes blackish underneath. Males (6.5-8.2 mm) Females (8.0-10.5 mm)

Status: Native
Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Draeculacephala antica No Common Name

Photo by: K. Bischof
Transylvania Co.
Comment: GORG
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_leafhopper
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_leafhopper
Photo by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping. Appears to be a Strepsipteran parasitizing this individual (embedded in a segment on the underside).
Photo by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping. Appears to be a Strepsipteran parasitizing this individual (embedded in a segment on the underside).
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_leafhopper
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_leafhopper
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_leafhopper
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_leafhopper
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_leafhopper
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_leafhopper
Photo by: Lior Carlson
Orange Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/83075150
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Chatham Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/73979056
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/57489828
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/57489828
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/55736378
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Swain Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/52744541
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Swain Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/52744541
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Swain Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/52744541
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/49981108
Photo by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping in a grassy field.
Photo by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping in a grassy field.
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32733220
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32733220
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/31209241
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/31209241
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/31209241
Photo by: Randy Emmitt
Orange Co.
Comment: uv light. Moved sideways most of the time. And it was short and stocky for a Draeculacephala. - unid_leafhopper
Photo by: Randy Emmitt
Orange Co.
Comment: uv light. Moved sideways most of the time. And it was short and stocky for a Draeculacephala. - unid_leafhopper
Photo by: Randy Emmitt
Orange Co.
Comment: Male 6.5 mm long took specimen to confirm.
Photo by: Randy Emmitt
Orange Co.
Comment: Male 6.5 mm long took specimen to confirm.
Photo by: Randy L Emmitt
Orange Co.
Comment: a bit on the yellow side? - unid_leafhopper
Photo by: Randy L Emmitt
Orange Co.
Comment: UV light. Seems to have several different Draeculacephala, hope to sort them out.
Photo by: Randy L Emmitt
Orange Co.
Comment: UV light. Seems to have several different Draeculacephala, hope to sort them out.
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 7.1mm, collected during sweep of overgrown retention area
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 7.1mm, collected during sweep of overgrown retention area
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 7.1mm, collected during sweep of overgrown retention area
Photo by: R Emmitt
Orange Co.
Comment: moth lights. - unid_treehopper
Photo by: R Emmitt
Orange Co.
Comment: moth lights. - unid_treehopper
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Attracted to Black Light
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Attracted to Black Light
Photo by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Grassy, open area.
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf, Brian Bockhahn
Rockingham Co.
Comment: attracted at night with a light
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf, Brian Bockhahn
Rockingham Co.
Comment: attracted at night with a light
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf, Brian Bockhahn
Rockingham Co.
Comment: attracted at night with a light
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf, Brian Bockhahn
Rockingham Co.
Comment: attracted at night with a light; at least 1 blue individual as well; A. Hamilton "These sky-blue specimens (when live) are very pretty and very, very rare – I have taken only 2, both together at one site in VT. They lose the intensity when dead. The European Cicadella viridis is a distant relative, and it is more frequently blue."
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf, Brian Bockhahn
Rockingham Co.
Comment: attracted at night with a light; at least 1 blue individual as well; A. Hamilton "These sky-blue specimens (when live) are very pretty and very, very rare – I have taken only 2, both together at one site in VT. They lose the intensity when dead. The European Cicadella viridis is a distant relative, and it is more frequently blue."
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf, Brian Bockhahn
Rockingham Co.
Comment: attracted at night with a light; at least 1 blue individual as well; A. Hamilton "These sky-blue specimens (when live) are very pretty and very, very rare – I have taken only 2, both together at one site in VT. They lose the intensity when dead. The European Cicadella viridis is a distant relative, and it is more frequently blue."
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf, Brian Bockhahn
Rockingham Co.
Comment: attracted at night with a light; at least 1 blue individual as well; A. Hamilton \"These sky-blue specimens (when live) are very pretty and very, very rare – I have taken only 2, both together at one site in VT. They lose the intensity when dead. The European Cicadella viridis is a distant relative, and it is more frequently blue.\"
Photo by: Bockhahn, Scharf
Burke Co.
Comment: LAJA - 2014 BioBlitz Attracted to Light
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Attracted to light
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Vance Co.
Comment: Found in grassy field/forest edge habitat
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Vance Co.
Comment: Found in grassy field/forest edge habitat
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Surry Co.
Comment: grassy, brushy habitat near forest edge
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Surry Co.
Comment: grassy, brushy habitat near forest edge
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Orange Co.
Comment: Riverine edge, grassy/brushy habitat. Female
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Orange Co.
Comment: Riverine edge, grassy/brushy habitat
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf
Wake Co.
Comment: grassy habitat
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Rockingham Co.
Comment: perching on a leaf in open forest/pond edge