Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

MEMBRACIDAE Members:	NC Records
Micrutalis calva - Honeylocust Treehopper

Taxonomy

Family: MEMBRACIDAE	Subfamily: Smiliinae
Taxonomic Author: (Say)

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist Google
Description: A small species with color and pattern variability, with two distinct forms. The dark form has a mostly black pronotum with a pale tip. The light form has a reddish-brown pronotum. Both forms have a pale yellowish face and indistinct wing venation, as well as pale legs with a black base. Adults are 2.6 to 3.3 mm long. (FSCA)

Distribution in North Carolina

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

Distribution: Eastern and central United States and Canada, and the American Southwest. (FSCA)

Abundance: Seasonal distribution: late April-2 November (CTNC)

Seasonal Occurrence

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

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Has been found near mixed hardwood forest habitat.

Plant Associates: Conyza canadensis, Erigeron annuus, Gleditsia triacanthos, Glycine max, Robinia pseudoacacia, Salix nigra, Solidago sp., Vitis rotundifolia, Vitis sp. (CTNC); also from Quercus alba (CTGSMNP)

Behavior: To listen to the male courtship call for this genus, listen here. These courtship calls are not audible to the human ear, and the calls here are produced by recording the substrate vibrations that the treehoppers use to communicate through the plants themselves. The recorded call is then amplified so that it is now audible to human ears. Research has shown that treehoppers use vibrations to attract mates, to announce the discovery of a good feeding site, or to alert a defending mother to the approach of a predator (T.IM).

Comment: Can be attracted at night with a light. Where and when this species' host plants have tender growth, M. calva can have multiple generations throughout the year. (FSCA)

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Micrutalis calva - Honeylocust Treehopper

Species Photo Gallery for Micrutalis calva Honeylocust Treehopper

Species Photo Gallery for Micrutalis calva Honeylocust Treehopper
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment:	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment:	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_treehopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_treehopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_treehopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_treehopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_treehopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_treehopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_treehopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_treehopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_treehopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_treehopper
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/88754536	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/88754536
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/87922596	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/87922595
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/87922595	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/87922595
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/83713014	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/83075138
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/81799988	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/81123497
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/81097637	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Ashe Co. Comment: ~3.5 mm
	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Ashe Co. Comment: ~3.5 mm	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Ashe Co. Comment: ~3.5 mm
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 3 mm, sweep through extensive area of weedy vegetation	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 3 mm, sweep through extensive area of weedy vegetation
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 3 mm, sweep through extensive area of weedy vegetation	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Weedy field near woodland.
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Avery Co. Comment: brusy, overgrown shrubby area in forest clearing	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Avery Co. Comment: brusy, overgrown shrubby area in forest clearing
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: open grassy area within mixed hardwood forest habitat; "It is probably a form of M. calva which often has color and/or pattern variability. Since it is a female, positive ID based on the male genitalia can't be attempted." Mark Rothschild	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: open grassy area within mixed hardwood forest habitat; "It is probably a form of M. calva which often has color and/or pattern variability. Since it is a female, positive ID based on the male genitalia can't be attempted." Mark Rothschild
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: open grassy area within mixed hardwood forest habitat; "It is probably a form of M. calva which often has color and/or pattern variability. Since it is a female, positive ID based on the male genitalia can't be attempted." Mark Rothschild	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: open grassy area within mixed hardwood forest habitat; "It is probably a form of M. calva which often has color and/or pattern variability. Since it is a female, positive ID based on the male genitalia can't be attempted." Mark Rothschild
	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