Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

CICADELLIDAE Members:	NC Records
Draeculacephala inscripta - Waterlettuce Leafhopper

Taxonomy

Family: CICADELLIDAE

Subfamily: Cicadellinae

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist Google
Description: A mostly plain green sharpshooter with a boldly marked head. The heavy black lines on the head, face, and top part of the pronotum help separate this species from other members of this genus. The scutellum also has a distinct pattern: two small black dots near the center and a small black indentation below the dots, curved slightly downwards. The marks on the scutellum can best be thought of as resembling a sad face (see here). The presence sometimes of small bold black marks above the block dots at the base of the pronotum further give this sad face 'eyebrows'. The tip of the forewing may be light bluish rather than green like the rest of the body, and the legs are also light blue in color (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: Primarily southeastern United States, west to Texas and north to the Midwest; introduced in Hawaii (BG)

Abundance: Uncommon; recorded primarily from several counties in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain, recorded from one county in the mountains. Probably more abundant near marshes and other wetland areas.

Seasonal Occurrence

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

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Near water in marshes and wetlands and other similar habitats, though sometimes it can be found away from water. (BG)

Plant Associates: Nymphs and adults feed on Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) and Floating Primrose-willow/Water-primrose (Ludwigia peploides), though has also been recorded on Pink Waterlillies (Nymphaea sp.) (BG)

Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.

Comment: Leaves of water lettuce heavily infested with D. inscripta nymphs turn a yellow or gold color, though it is not known whether this color change is due to a viral disease transmitted by the species, or a result of leaf degradation caused by excessive sap loss from intense feeding. Adults likely only live for several weeks, and female can lay up to 75 eggs into the soft tissues of the hostplants (BG).

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

See also Habitat Account for General Herbaceous Ponds

Species Photo Gallery for Draeculacephala inscripta Waterlettuce Leafhopper
	Photo by: B. Bockhahn Wilson Co. Comment:	Photo by: Simpson Eason Durham Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment:	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: near mixed hardwood forest habitat
	Photo by: Harry Wilson Wake Co. Comment:	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Rockingham Co. Comment: grassy area near mixed hardwood forest and a pond
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Rockingham Co. Comment: grassy area near mixed hardwood forest and a pond	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Rockingham Co. Comment: grassy area near mixed hardwood forest and a pond
	Photo by: Tony DeSantis Durham Co. Comment:	Photo by: Ken Childs Out Of State Co. Comment:

Draeculacephala inscripta - Waterlettuce Leafhopper

Species Photo Gallery for Draeculacephala inscripta Waterlettuce Leafhopper