Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

MEMBRACIDAE Members:	NC Records
Acutalis tartarea - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family: MEMBRACIDAE

Subfamily: Smiliinae

Synonym: Acutalis brunnea

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF
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

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

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: John Petranka Orange Co. Comment: New Hope Creek Biodiversity Survey (2021-2022)	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

Acutalis tartarea - No Common Name

Species Photo Gallery for Acutalis tartarea No Common Name