Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

CICADELLIDAE Members:	NC Records
Erythroneura calycula - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family: CICADELLIDAE	Subfamily: Typhlocybinae	Tribe: Erythroneurini
Taxonomic Author: (McAtee, 1920)

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF
Description: A boldly marked species with a yellow to white body and a dark reddish-brownish to blackish color pattern. The wings have a prominent central band overlaying yellowish-orange stripes extending towards the wingtips, with a large black spot bordering the band on each wing along the costal margin. The head is pale with two parallel yellowish-orange submedial lines often with lateral branches and a pale midline. The thorax/pronotum has a very distinctive dark brown "U", characteristic of this species. The U extends from the eyes downwards and across the top of the mesonotum. There are three color variations of this species. The nominate, common form has a broad central transverse band across the wings and a bold and broad black band across the wing tips; the width of the median band can vary among individuals. Form 'erasa' resembles the nominate form, except that the central wing band is truncated and looks more like two triangles extending towards one another from the wing margins. Form 'noncincta' has the central wing band and thoracic U both broken with disconnected marks; the median band is relegated to small lateral triangles. The face and underside of the thorax are pale. Adults are 2.6-3.0 mm long. (Dmitriev & Dietrich, 2007) See here for more images of this species: BG.

Distribution in North Carolina

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

Distribution: Central and eastern United States (3I)

Abundance: Recorded across the state, with a majority of records coming from the Piedmont and Coastal Plain where it is common; likely 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 mixed hardwood forest, forest edge, and adjacent habitats.

Plant Associates: Primarily Vitis spp., but also Aesculus sp., Ilex decidua, and Prunus virginiana (3I); has been found on Black Walnut as well.

Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.

Comment: E. calycula could be confused with a few other species, especially E. tricincta. Note however the pattern of calycula, particularly the U-shaped mark on the pronotum; in tricincta, this band is thicker, covering much of the pronotum. Another species that is extremely similar [but has yet to be recorded in North Carolina ] is E. cymbium. This species however has a 'flat U-shaped' mark, rather than a rounded one, lacking any dark coloration of the U extending onto the anterior part of the scutellum; the dark pattern is instead relegated almost completely to just the pronotum (in some individuals there may be a small black spot extending onto the scutellum). See here for more images of cymbium: BG.

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Erythroneura calycula No Common Name
	Photo by: John Petranka Orange Co. Comment: Attracted to 15W UV lamp	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 2.8 mm male, came to UV light at night
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 2.8 mm male, came to UV light at night	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 2.8 mm male, came to UV light at night
	Photo by: Erich Hofmann New Hanover Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/62081359	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest; var. 'noncincta'
	Photo by: Mark Shields Onslow Co. Comment:	Photo by: Mark Shields Onslow Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Randy L Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper	Photo by: T. DeSantis Durham Co. Comment: ENRI
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf New Hanover Co. Comment: open woodlands, pine dominated; form "erasa"	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: 1 individual of form 'noncincta'
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment:	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Open area near woods. Attracted to black light.
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Open area near woods. Attracted to black light.	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Attracted to ultraviolet light.
	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Attracted to Light	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest habitat
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest habitat
	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Attracted to Black Light	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Attracted to Black Light
	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Attracted to Black Light

Erythroneura calycula - No Common Name

Species Photo Gallery for Erythroneura calycula No Common Name