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

Laevicephalus melsheimerii - No Common Name


© John Rosenfeld
© John Rosenfeld- note whitish wing venation
© John Rosenfeld
© John Rosenfeld- female; note pregenital
sternite
Taxonomy
Family: CICADELLIDAESubfamily: Deltocephalinae
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF  iNaturalist                                                                                  
Description: A small greenish leafhopper with a slight orange tint to the wings. The abdomen is banded, with alternating black and pale bands. The vertex is noticeably long, longer than the width between the eyes, and is sharply angled and pointed; the face is pale yellowish-brown. Females are somewhat uniformly yellowish overall, with milky white wing venation. The male head, pronotum, and scutellum are a bright yellow, with a faint brown arc on either side of the vertex that extends from the apex to the black ocelli. The wing venation in males is faintly bordered with dark coloration. The female pregenital sternite has the median half of the posterior margin largely 'straight' without any major excavations or projections; there is a very slight excavation, bordered with black. The male subgenital plates are broad at the bases, narrowing slightly to broad rounded tips that curve dorsally and therefore appear truncated when viewed ventrally. Adults are 2.5-2.75 mm long. (DeLong 1948), (Ross & Hamilton 1972)

For diagrams of this species, see: Zahniser.

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 North America
Abundance: Several records from the mountains, 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: Grassy, brushy habitat; dry uplands, pastures, and meadows (DeLong 1948)
Plant Associates: Danthonia spicata, Danthonia compressa, Danthonia spp. (DeLong 1948)
Behavior:
Comment: NOTE: Laevicephalus is a challenging genus to identify without a detailed view of the female pregenital sternite or male subgenital plates. It is therefore important to photograph the undersides of members of this genus for an accurate identification.
Status: Native
Global and State Rank:
See also Habitat Account for Grassy Balds and Montane Semi-natural Grasslands

Species Photo Gallery for Laevicephalus melsheimerii No Common Name

Photo by: John Rosenfeld
Out Of State Co.
Comment: female		Photo by: John Rosenfeld
Out Of State Co.
Comment: female
Photo by: John Rosenfeld
Out Of State Co.
Comment: female		Photo by: John Rosenfeld
Out Of State Co.
Comment: female
Photo by: John Rosenfeld
Out Of State Co.
Comment: female