Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

ACHILIDAE Members:	NC Records
Catonia lunata - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family: ACHILIDAE
Taxonomic Author: (Metcalf, 1923)

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist Google
Description: This species has a mottled color pattern, with gray, brown, and black wings; there is typically a U-shaped dark narrow band across the middle of the wings. The venation is pale with black spots along their length. The pronotum and vertex are mottled like the wings. The face is bicolored, with the orange-brown base contrasting with a broad white transverse band; the clypeus is also pale. Adults are 4.0-5.6 mm long. (O'Brien, 1971)

Distribution in North Carolina

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

Distribution: Eastern United States & Ontario (UDEL)

Abundance: Scattered records across the state, uncommon to scarce; possibly 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 grassy, brushy habitat near pines.

Plant Associates: Pinus sp., Quercus sp., Vaccinium macrocarpon (cranberry, Ericaceae) (UDEL)

Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.

Comment: The wing pattern of C. lunata very closely resembles that of the more common C. carolina, so a picture of the face pattern is necessary in distinguishing these two species. The face of lunata is noticeably darker than that of carolina, being orange-brown with a bold, broad white transverse band in the middle; carolina has a paler face lacking highly contrasting colorful bands; instead, there is an incomplete white band across the middle.

This species is also similar to C. pumila, which too has a similar wing color and pattern. However, the frons color and pattern is quite different between the two species. In pumila, the frons is very pale, either being a somewhat uniform color throughout or being light brownish with a pale median transverse band. The frons of lunata is not uniform and the brown is much darker.

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Catonia lunata No Common Name
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf Vance Co. Comment: grassy/brushy/pine habitat	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf Vance Co. Comment: grassy/brushy/pine habitat
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf Vance Co. Comment: grassy/brushy/pine habitat	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf Vance Co. Comment: grassy/brushy/pine habitat

Catonia lunata - No Common Name

Species Photo Gallery for Catonia lunata No Common Name