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

Melanoliarus humilis - No Common Name


© Rob Van Epps- note wing venation
© Scott Bolick- note head and eye shape
© Scott Bolick- note coloration
© Ted Wilcox
Taxonomy
Family: CIXIIDAETribe: Pentastirini
Taxonomic Author: (Say, 1830)
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF  iNaturalist                                                                                  
Description: A distinctive species. The vertex and mesonotum are dark brown to black, and the face is entirely fuscous except for carinae that vary from brown to dull orange. The vertex is variably wide but usually appears broad and divergent basally. The wings lack spots and are hyaline except for the apical third (the tips), which are contrastingly dark; in some specimens, the basal two-thirds of the wing are almost concolorous with the tips. The wing venation is a uniform brown color. Small, with males 4.1 to 5.0 mm long. (Mead & Kramer, 1982)

See here for images of live adults, and here for pinned specimens.

Distribution in North Carolina
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Distribution: Transcontinental, found across the United States and Canada (UDEL)
Abundance: Recorded from across the state, but priamrily in the Piedmont; for some reason, this species seems to be quite locally abundant in North Carolina compared to other states.
Seasonal Occurrence
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Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Has been reported from pasture, bogs, prairie, river edge, rye, etc.; seems to predominate in damp habitats in cooler climates. (Mead & Kramer, 1982)
Plant Associates: Adults have been taken from Poa pratensis, Carya sp., Asimina sp., and Medicago sativa. (Mead & Kramer, 1982)

"Nymphs of cixiids are subterranean, feeding on roots and possibly fungi. The significance of adult host records is unclear. Many cixiids are presumed to be polyphagous (as adults), most often on woody plants." (UDEL)

Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.
Comment: This may be the most difficult genus of planthoppers, perhaps even hoppers to identify in North Carolina. However, M. humilis may be the easiest and only species to identify in the genus from a photo as it is quite visually distinctive.
Status: Native
Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Melanoliarus humilis No Common Name

Photo by: Scott Bolick
Randolph Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Randolph Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Randolph Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper		Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper		Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga 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: Scott Bolick
Forsyth Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping
Photo by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping		Photo by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Forsyth Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Forsyth Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Forsyth Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Forsyth Co.
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Photo by: Scott Bolick
Forsyth Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Forsyth Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Forsyth Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Forsyth Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Forsyth Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Forsyth Co.
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Photo by: Scott Bolick
Forsyth Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Forsyth Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Forsyth Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Scott
Forsyth Co.
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Photo by: Scott Bolick
Forsyth Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: J L
Davidson Co.
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Photo by: ROBERT MEEHAN
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: ROBERT MEEHAN
Durham Co.
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Photo by: ROBERT MEEHAN
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: ROBERT MEEHAN
Durham Co.
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