Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

FLATIDAE Members:	NC Records
Flatormenis proxima - Northern Flatid Planthopper

Taxonomy

Family: FLATIDAE

Subfamily: Flatinae

Synonym: Anormenis septentrionalis

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist Google

Description: This species is often greenish in color, though color can vary slightly. The key characteristic for this species is the 90 degree angle to the rear corner of the wings, separating this from the similar Ormenoides venusta. There are two rows of broad, ordered wing (apical) cells at the rear of the wing that are noticeable, also helpful in distinguishing this species. Additionally, F. proxima lacks the orange edge to the wings that is characteristic of O. venusta. The legs are brownish, and the bottom edge of the wings is yellowish.

Young nymphal instars are fairly pale in color with contrasting orange sections on the abdomen and thorax, but older instars can show the greenish color typical of adults as they age. As in the adult, the head of the nymphs is broad and flat, a useful characteristic in distinguishing from the very similar nymphs of Metcalfa pruinosa.

Eggs are deposited in long, narrow whitish rows on the side of vegetation.

Distribution in North Carolina

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

Distribution: Primarily eastern and central North America

Abundance: Common and locally abundant, this species has been primarily recorded across the state.

Seasonal Occurrence

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

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Found in grassy, brushy habitat, forest edge, and within mixed hardwood forest.

Plant Associates: Polyphagous: Juglans nigra (Juglandaceae, black walnut), Ostrya virginiana (Betulaceae, hophornbeam), Quercus velutina (Fagaceae, black oak), Ulmus rubra (Ulmaceae, slippery elm), Maclura pomifera (Moraceae, osage orange), Morus rubra (Moraceae, red mulberry), Rumex obtusifolius (bitter dock, Polygonaceae), Phytolacca americana (American pokeweed, Phytolaccaceae), Liriodendron tulipifera (tuliptree, Magnoliaceae), Asimina triloba (Annonaceae, pawpaw), Sassafras albidum (Lauraceae, sassafras), Liquidambar styraciflua (Hamamelidaceae, sweetgum), Platanus occidentalis (Platanaceae, American sycamore), and 30 more in Wilson & McPhearson (1981). (UDEL)

Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.

Comment: F. proxima is known to feed on a variety of ornamental and agricultural plants, and can be slightly economically important for walnut. Flatormenis (esp. proxima) may occur in large numbers, but do little apparent damage to plants and have not been directly implicated in plant disease transmission. (UDEL)

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Flatormenis proxima Northern Flatid Planthopper
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/285753624	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/285753625
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/282641684	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/272831198
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/272831198	Photo by: John Petranka, Sally Gewalt Alleghany Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment:	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/223173157
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/223173157	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/223173171
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/223173171	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/214463187
	Photo by: Owen McConnell Graham Co. Comment:	Photo by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment: Attracted to front porch light
	Photo by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment: Attracted to front porch light	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_planthopper
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment:	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/160661654
	Photo by: George Andrews Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Narrow strip of forest between trail and lake with wet soil plants (Alders, etc). Acted like an Emperor butterfly, circling me once, momentarily landing on me, then flew a few feet to the Maple in the photo.	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Owen McConnell Durham Co. Comment:	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/119335983
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/119335983	Photo by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther New Hanover Co. Comment:
	Photo by: B. Bockhahn Durham Co. Comment: New Hope Creek Biodiversity Survey (2021-2022)	Photo by: Lior Carlson Orange Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Lior Carlson Orange Co. Comment:	Photo by: Lior Carlson Orange Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Lior Carlson Orange Co. Comment:	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/82934161
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/81799989	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/80971318
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/80944268	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/80944274
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/80547526	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/80547528
	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: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/79592263 - unid_planthopper	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/49511479
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/49511479	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/50475685
	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Nymph with parasite, caught sweeping	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Nymph with parasite, caught sweeping
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Swain Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/52051136	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Swain Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/52744522
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/49981099	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Scott Bolick Mitchell Co. Comment:	Photo by: Scott Bolick Mitchell Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Scott Bolick Mitchell Co. Comment:	Photo by: Scott Bolick Mitchell Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/63845345	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/63845345
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/62146128	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/62146128
	Photo by: Erich Hofmann New Hanover Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/60954585	Photo by: Owen McConnell Durham Co. Comment: On UV sheet
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/54073366	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/54073320
	Photo by: Mark Shields Onslow Co. Comment:	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Yancey Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32125820	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28705636
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Woodland edge with weeds/shrubs.	Photo by: Mark Shields Onslow Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin Madison Co. Comment:	Photo by: Randy Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: UV light
	Photo by: Randy L Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: UV light	Photo by: Hunter Phillips Onslow Co. Comment: unid_planthopper
	Photo by: D. Blatny / J. Nelson Ashe Co. Comment: NERI	Photo by: T. DeSantis Durham Co. Comment: ENRI
	Photo by: T. DeSantis Durham Co. Comment: ENRI	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Flew across my path in late afternoon.
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Flew across my path in late afternoon.	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Flew across my path in late afternoon.
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Yancey Co. Comment: Seen sitting on vegetation along a trail. Mix of goldenrod, Joe Pye, blackberry, etc.	Photo by: Salman Abdulali Pitt Co. Comment: Observed on a Lantana leaf.
	Photo by: Tracy S. Feldman Scotland Co. Comment: unid_planthopper	Photo by: Tracy S. Feldman Scotland Co. Comment: unid_planthopper
	Photo by: Tracy S. Feldman Durham Co. Comment:	Photo by: R Emmitt Orange Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Maria de Bruyn Orange Co. Comment: Rescued from a rain barrel; the hopper was floating in it and I thought it might be dead but it quickly recovered when I got it out	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest habitat
	Photo by: Paul Scharf, B Bockhahn Rockingham Co. Comment: NYMPH, Caught sweeping	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: open forest habitat, near mixed hardwoods; on a lawn
	Photo by: Harry Wilson Wake Co. Comment:	Photo by: Paul Scharf, Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Wake Co. Comment: Attracted to Black Light
	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Attracted to Black Light	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest habitat

Flatormenis proxima - Northern Flatid Planthopper

Species Photo Gallery for Flatormenis proxima Northern Flatid Planthopper