Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

CICADELLIDAE Members:	NC Records
Erasmoneura vulnerata - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family: CICADELLIDAE	Subfamily: Typhlocybinae	Tribe: Erythroneurini
Taxonomic Author: (Fitch, 1851)

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist

Description: A dark leafhopper with a reddish-brown color pattern, sometimes with a brighter red or green hue. The extensive brown patches on the wings and head are characteristic of this species; the brown color sort of resembles the color of dried-blood (hence 'vulnerata') (BG). Some individuals however have very vibrant red wings and sometimes a red head and thorax. There are small pale spots on the side of an otherwise dark head with a pale midline; these pale spots resemble white stripes next to the eyes. The pronotum and mesonotum are also mostly dark, and the anteclypeus is brown or black. There is a white patch on the costal margin of the wings, and the wing tips are a dark brown. The underside of the thorax (the mesosternum to be exact) is dark, the rest is pale. Adults are 2.7-3.2 mm long. (Dmitriev & Dietrich, 2007)

For more images of this species showing the array of variation, see: BG.

Nymphs are reddish-brown with yellowish markings dorsally, divided by a yellowish stripe. The underside of the abdomen is a bold red color; the legs are yellow.

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, southeastern Canada, and northern Mexico; also introduced in parts of Europe (3I)

Abundance: Recorded across the state, with a majority of records from the Piedmont where it is common; likely abundant across the state in the right habitat.

Seasonal Occurrence

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Recorded from mixed hardwood forest, forest edge, and grassy areas.

Plant Associates: Vitis riparia, Vitis sp., Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Ilex decidua, Cercis canadensis, Aesculus sp., Ulmus alata, among others (3I); has also been found on Black Gum.

Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.

Comment: The nominate form of E. fulmina could be confused with E. vulnerata. E. vulnerata has a similar pattern to that of fulmina but is typically not as uniformly dark. It has pale lines on the head, rather than small pale spots, and there are slight differences in the wing pattern.

The species can create leaf damage from feeding, causing it to be a pest species (particularly in areas where introduced). Damage appears as speckled whitish lesions (Rizzoli et al., 2020).

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Erasmoneura vulnerata No Common Name
	Photo by: Solomon Hendrix Wake Co. Comment: attracted to UV light	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 2.7 mm, found indoors
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 2.7 mm, found indoors	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 2.7 mm, found indoors
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 2.7 mm, found indoors	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Attracted to UV light. Suburban yard near woods.
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Attracted to UV light. Suburban yard near woods.	Photo by: B. Bockhahn Wilson Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Scott Bolick Forsyth Co. Comment:	Photo by: Scott Bolick Forsyth Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Jim Petranka Madison Co. Comment:	Photo by: John Petranka Orange Co. Comment: Attracted to 15W UV lamp
	Photo by: Lior Carlson Orange Co. Comment:	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 2.6 mm, came to UV light and sheet at night
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 2.6 mm, came to UV light and sheet at night	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 2.6 mm, came to UV light and sheet at night
	Photo by: Erich Hofmann New Hanover Co. Comment: red form	Photo by: Erich Hofmann Craven Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/53386723
	Photo by: Erich Hofmann Craven Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/53386723	Photo by: Erich Hofmann Craven Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/53386723
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Attracted to UV light. Yard near woods.	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Attracted to UV light. Yard near woods.
	Photo by: Randy Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: uv lights	Photo by: Randy Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: uv lights
	Photo by: T. DeSantis Durham Co. Comment: ENRI	Photo by: R Emmitt Orange Co. Comment:
	Photo by: R Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper	Photo by: R Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Attracted to ultraviolet light.	Photo by: Harry Wilson Wake Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest habitat	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest habitat
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest habitat	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Attracted to Light
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest habitat. One red individual	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
	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	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest habitat

Erasmoneura vulnerata - No Common Name

Species Photo Gallery for Erasmoneura vulnerata No Common Name