Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

CICADELLIDAE Members:	NC Records
Graminella fitchii - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family: CICADELLIDAE	Subfamily: Deltocephalinae	Tribe: Deltocephalini
Taxonomic Author: (Van Duzee, 1890)

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist
Description: Yellow to dull greenish overall, this species has a bold contrast between the whitish wing venation and five pale transverse longitudinal lines on the pronotum and the straw-colored body and wings. There are four small black dots along the margin of the vertex, and 2 anteapical wing cells, helping differentiate this species from other similar looking species such as Deltocephalus. The face is pale, with various shades of brown, characteristic of this species. The female pregenital sternite is roundedly excavated on either side of a median slightly produced with a broad, sunken tooth. The male genital plates are long, gradually tapering to bluntly pointed apexes. Adults are around 4.5 mm long. (DeLong & Mohr 1937) For diagrams of this species, see: Zahniser. For additional images of this species, 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: Eastern North America

Abundance: Recorded from several counties across the state, but likely more abundant in the state in the right habitat.

Seasonal Occurrence

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

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Fields and other similar, grassy habitats

Plant Associates: Grasses. Its host is Leersia virginica, white cutgrass (BG)

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

Comment: This species resembles G. nigrifrons, but it is brownish rather than greenish (nigrifrons is occasionally brownish, fitchii is always brown). The face on G. fitchii is also not as heavily marked with black compared to G. nigrifrons and instead appears brown; typically the face is pale. It is important to get a view of the face when photographing brownish Graminella. G. fitchii is also similar to G. plana. This species is more orange than yellowish-brown and has black vertex spots that are not quite as bold as those in fitchii. Additionally, the wing venation and thoracic lines are much bolder in fitchii compared to plana, which lacks the thoracic lines. The genital characteristics are also distinct. Finally, fitchii could be mistaken for the much smaller G. sonora: both have similar coloration and pale faces. However, fitchii has very bold pale wing venation that contrasts with the rest of the wings, and the pronotal lines are boldly defined; in sonora, the wing venation does not stronly contrast with the rest of the wings. Additionally, the black markings on the vertex of sonora are two different sizes, with the two central spots noticeably smaller than the outer ones. In fitchii, these spots are relatively the same size.

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Graminella fitchii No Common Name
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 4 mm female, sweep through a wet area dominated by cattails and Persicaria	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 4 mm female, sweep through a wet area dominated by cattails and Persicaria
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 4 mm female, sweep through a wet area dominated by cattails and Persicaria	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Attracted to UV light. Suburban yard near woods.
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 4.1 mm, caught in a sweep through weedy vegetation bordering a marsh	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 4.1 mm, caught in a sweep through weedy vegetation bordering a marsh
	Photo by: Randy L Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: UV light	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 3.4mm
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 3.4mm	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 3.4mm
	Photo by: John Rosenfeld Out Of State Co. Comment: female	Photo by: John Rosenfeld Out Of State Co. Comment:
	Photo by: John Rosenfeld Out Of State Co. Comment:	Photo by: John Rosenfeld Out Of State Co. Comment:
	Photo by: John Rosenfeld Out Of State Co. Comment:	Photo by: Paul Scharf, B. Bockhahn,C. Mitchell Durham Co. Comment: Attracted to UV Light
	Photo by: Paul Scharf, B. Bockhahn,C. Mitchell Durham Co. Comment: Attracted to UV Light	Photo by: Paul Scharf, B Bockhahn Rockingham Co. Comment: Caught sweeping
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest habitat

Graminella fitchii - No Common Name

Species Photo Gallery for Graminella fitchii No Common Name