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

Pissonotus piceus - No Common Name

Pissonotus piceus
© John Rosenfeld- brachypter		Pissonotus piceus
© John Rosenfeld- note wing
pattern		Pissonotus piceus
© John Rosenfeld- dark brachypter		Pissonotus piceus
© Solomon Hendrix- macropter
Taxonomy
Family: DELPHACIDAESubfamily: DelphacinaeTribe: Delphacini
Taxonomic Author: (Van Duzee, 1894)
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF  iNaturalist  Google                                                                                  
Description: A species that widely varies in color, from dark chestnut-brown to brownish orange. The body is shiny and the frons is immaculate; it is pale ventrally and gradually becomes darker dorsally, with a dark clypeus. However, the colors of the frons can intergrade and sometimes it is completely pale. The antennal segments are yellowish. Markings on the apex of the wing and posterior margin of the pronotum may be present or absent. The key distinguishing characteristic for this species and other similar ones in the P. piceus complex is the narrow but projecting vertex. While the vertex (top of the head) usually does not extend much past the eyes in other Pissonotus, it noticeably projects past the eyes in piceus, as can be seen here. Macropterous individuals are similarly colored to brachypters, with the caudal apex of the mesonotum yellowish and wings clear. Adult brachypterous males are 2.20-2.38 mm long, while females are 2.81-3.19 mm; macropterous males are 3.10-3.37 mm long while females are 3.38-3.81 mm. (Bartlett & Deitz, 2000)

For more images of this species, see here.

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: The second most commonly collected Pissonotus species. Found in Eastern and central North America; also Belize, Bermuda, Costa Rica, Cuba, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Trinidad, and Venezuela (UDEL)
Abundance: Scattered records across the state, likely abundant in the right habitat.
Seasonal Occurrence
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Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Wetland areas
Plant Associates: Polygonum hydropiperoides (Swamp smartweed), Polygonum sp., (Polygonaceae); Ludwigia peploides (floating primrose-willow), Ludwigia grandiflora (large-flower primrose-willow; Onagraceae). This species can be abundant on swamp smartweed and may be on some closely related smartweeds. (UDEL)
Behavior: Often encountered at lights. (UDEL)
Comment: This species has a relatively large calcar (spur on the hind leg) which is reminiscent of Megamelus, probably to assist with jumping off the surface of the water. (UDEL)
Status: Native
Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Pissonotus piceus No Common Name

Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Solomon Hendrix
Wake Co.
Comment: attracted to light - unid_planthopper		Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Solomon Hendrix
Wake Co.
Comment: attracted to light - unid_planthopper
Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Solomon Hendrix
Wake Co.
Comment: attracted to light		Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping in a wet, weedy retention area.
Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping in a wet, weedy retention area. 		Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper
Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper		Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper
Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper		Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper
Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper		Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_leafhopper
Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_leafhopper		Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_leafhopper
Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_leafhopper		Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_leafhopper
Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_leafhopper		Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_leafhopper
Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_leafhopper		Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper
Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper		Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper
Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper		Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther
New Hanover Co.
Comment: attracted to outdoor building lights, ID tentative
Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/61815279		Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/61815279
Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/61815279		Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: John Rosenfeld
Out Of State Co.
Comment: 		Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: John Rosenfeld
Out Of State Co.
Comment:
Pissonotus piceusPhoto by: John Rosenfeld
Out Of State Co.
Comment: very dark individual