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

Acutalis tartarea - No Common Name


© Kyle Kittelberger
© Paul Scharf
© Mark Rothschild- nymph
Taxonomy
Family: MEMBRACIDAESubfamily: SmiliinaeSynonym: Acutalis brunnea
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide                                                                                  
Description: A species that varies considerably in coloration. Adults have three longitudinal veins and five apical cells on the wings, though the number of apical cells (near the wingtip) can be four. The color of the head, pronotum, and legs can vary from green to black. Some individuals are almost completely black, with a black body and wings outside of the apical wing cells. Other individuals have the black restricted to the head or along the pronotal ridge, with the rest of the body green. Adults are 4.0- 4.5 mm long. Nymphs are a light brown color. For a figure and description of the various nymphal instars, see: (AT), (AT), (AT), and (AT).
Distribution in North Carolina
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Distribution: Found throughout eastern and central North America, as far north as Canada and as far west as the Rocky Mountains.
Abundance: Recorded throughout the state. Seasonal distribution: 24 May-23 November (CTNC)
Seasonal Occurrence
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Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Recorded in a variety of habitats, including mixed hardwood forest and forest edge.
Plant Associates: Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Arundinaria sp., Bidens coronota, Eupatorium capillifolium, Helianthus sp., Solidago sp., Erigeron sp. (CTNC)
Behavior: To listen to the male courtship call for this genus, listen here. These courtship calls are not audible to the human ear, and the calls here are produced by recording the substrate vibrations that the treehoppers use to communicate through the plants themselves. The recorded call is then amplified so that it is now audible to human ears. Research has shown that treehoppers use vibrations to attract mates, to announce the discovery of a good feeding site, or to alert a defending mother to the approach of a predator (T.IM) .
Comment: A. tartarea has 5 nymphal instars with a mean development time from egg to adult of about 50 days. (AT)
Status: Native
Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Acutalis tartarea No Common Name

Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/95210145		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/95210145
Photo by: Simpson Eason
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/62146135
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/62146135		Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: female, 4.8 mm, clinging to flower heads, cool morning temperature
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/56434001		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/56434026
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/55736416		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/55736416
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/55736416		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Swain Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/52528502
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Swain Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/52528502		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Swain Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/52528502
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Swain Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/52528502		Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: sweep through low vegetation
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: in low vegetation bordering retention pond		Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: in low vegetation bordering retention pond
Photo by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Weeds near hardwoods and creek.		Photo by: Harry Wilson
Wake Co.
Comment: Mixed hardwood and pine
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping		Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Orange Co.
Comment: Mixed hardwood forest edge
Photo by: T. DeSantis
Camden Co.
Comment: DISW		Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Found on Plant		Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Found on Plant
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Found on Plant		Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Orange Co.
Comment: Mixed hardwood forest edge
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Orange Co.
Comment: Mixed hardwood forest edge		Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Spotted on plant
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Spotted on plant		Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Spotted on plant