Hoppers of North Carolina:
Spittlebugs, Leafhoppers, Treehoppers, and Planthoppers
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MEMBRACIDAE Members: NC Records

Micrutalis calva - Honeylocust Treehopper


© Kyle Kittelberger- dark form
© Kyle Kittelberger- side view
© Kyle Kittelberger- light form, *probable
© Margarita Lankford- nymph
Taxonomy
Family: MEMBRACIDAESubfamily: Smiliinae
Taxonomic Author: (Say)
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF  iNaturalist                                                                                  
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
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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:

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