Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

CICADELLIDAE Members:	NC Records
Macrosteles quadrilineatus - Aster Leafhopper

Taxonomy

Family: CICADELLIDAE	Subfamily: Deltocephalinae	Tribe: Macrostelini
Taxonomic Author: (Forbes, S.A., 1885)

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist
Description: A yellow to yellowish-green species, sometimes with faint smoky markings on the wings, with a bold head pattern. It has narrow wings and [typically] 6 bold black marks on the head: 4 lines (hence quadrilineatus) and 2 spots posterior to the lines (this species used to be known as the Six-spotted Leafhopper). Sometimes the number of marks is reduced to just 4 or 2 bold ones, with the spots not present on every individual (they can disappear partly); additionally, the boldness of the head markings can vary. The vertex is broad, being more than twice as wide as long and rounded anteriorly in both sexes. The scutellum has two small black triangles in the upper corners, though these 'triangle's can sometimes be reduced to just a small black base/line; in other individuals, the scutellum is entirely green. This species has very long wings for the genus, longer than related species, with the wings 4.5 x as long as wide. The subgenital plates have 7-9 macrosetae on each side. Adult males are 3.1-4.0 mm long, while females are 3.4-4.3 mm. (Hamilton 1983, Kwon & Kwon, 2022) Nymphs are greenish with some dark coloration, especially on the wing pagds. The crown shows black markings similar to those found on adults. For an image of a nymph associating with an adult, see: BG.

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: Found throughout North America (Kwon & Kwon, 2022)

Abundance: Scattered records across the state where it is uncommon, likely more abundant in the right habitat, especially agricultural areas.

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 areas. Abundant in agricultural areas as well.

Plant Associates: Asters and corn; polyphagous (BG). Also from grasses and cereals, potato, lettuce, and rice (Kwon & Kwon, 2022).

Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a black light.

Comment: This species is a major agricultural pest and disease vector, and is one of the most common leafhoppers found in U.S. corn. It can transmit the semipersistant maize chlorotic dwarf virus and the persistent diseases maize rayado fino maya virus (MRFM), corn stunt spiroplasma (CSS) and maize bushy stunt phytoplasma (MBSP) (UF), as well as oat blue dwarf, American aster yellows, and horseradish brittle-root (Kwon & Kwon, 2022).

This species is part of the quadrilineatus complex, which consists of many similar species occurring throughout North America. Records previously labeled as M. fascifrons, which has now been synonymized with this species, have been entered here correctly as quadrilineatus. (Kwon & Kwon, 2022)

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Macrosteles quadrilineatus Aster Leafhopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: came to UV light at night set up over athletic field turf
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Polk Co. Comment: female	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Polk Co. Comment: female
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Polk Co. Comment: female	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Polk Co. Comment: female
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 3.8 mm female came to UV/CFL light combo at night	Photo by: UDCC Swain Co. Comment: as M. divisus
	Photo by: UDCC Swain Co. Comment: as M. divisus; (24-XI)-(18-XII)-2001 Malaise Trap11, MT1120011218rnQuantity: 3 females, 1 male	Photo by: UDCC Swain Co. Comment: as M. divisus; (24-XI)-(18-XII)-2001 Malaise Trap11, MT1120011218\r\nQuantity: 3 females, 1 male
	Photo by: Lior Carlson Orange Co. Comment:	Photo by: Erich Hofmann New Hanover Co. Comment:
	Photo by: J. B. Sullivan Yancey Co. Comment:	Photo by: J. B. Sullivan Yancey Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Ken Childs Out Of State Co. Comment:	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: male, 3.5 mm Walking along the muddy edge of a large pond I flushed a dense flurry over the course of 20 meters, one half-hearted sweep yielded 31.
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: male, 3.5 mm Walking along the muddy edge of a large pond I flushed a dense flurry over the course of 20 meters, one half-hearted sweep yielded 31.	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: male, 3.5 mm Walking along the muddy edge of a large pond I flushed a dense flurry over the course of 20 meters, one half-hearted sweep yielded 31.
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: male, 3.5 mm Walking along the muddy edge of a large pond I flushed a dense flurry over the course of 20 meters, one half-hearted sweep yielded 31.	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: male, 3.5 mm Walking along the muddy edge of a large pond I flushed a dense flurry over the course of 20 meters, one half-hearted sweep yielded 31.
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: male, 3.5 mm Walking along the muddy edge of a large pond I flushed a dense flurry over the course of 20 meters, one half-hearted sweep yielded 31.	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Avery Co. Comment: open area near mixed hardwood forest
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Avery Co. Comment: open area near mixed hardwood forest	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Avery Co. Comment: open area near mixed hardwood forest
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Avery Co. Comment: open area near mixed hardwood forest	Photo by: Ken Childs Out Of State Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Ken Childs Out Of State Co. Comment:	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: grassy habitat

Macrosteles quadrilineatus - Aster Leafhopper

Species Photo Gallery for Macrosteles quadrilineatus Aster Leafhopper