Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

MEMBRACIDAE Members:	NC Records
Stictocephala bisonia - Buffalo Treehopper

Taxonomy

Family: MEMBRACIDAE

Subfamily: Smiliinae

Tribe: Ceresini

Synonym: Ceresa bisonia

Taxonomic Author: Kopp & Yonke, 1977

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist Google
Description: This species is typically greenish overall, with densely scattered pale whitish dots across the pronotum and pronotal ridges that are outlined in a yellowish-cream color. The pronotum itself appears 'boxy,' being noticeably high and large and strongly arched; this species lacks pubescence across the pronotum. The leg color is greenish. Nymphs are a spotted brown color.

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: Uncommon with scattered records across the state, seemingly more abundant in the West. Seasonal distribution: 16 July-30 September (CTNC)

Seasonal Occurrence

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

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Forested areas

Plant Associates: Glycine max (CTNC)

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: Many Stictocephala may not be identifiable from an image; this is a very difficult group of treehoppers to identify correctly (for many species). This species is very similar to Hadrophallus bubalus, having a similar color pattern. However, bisonia lacks the dense pubescence of bubalus and has an overall 'boxier' pronotum: it is noticeably higher and larger than in bubalus. It is perhaps most similar though to Tortistilus abnorma, which also has a strongly arched pronotum that is anteriorly somewhat tall. It has diagnostic reddish legs.

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Stictocephala bisonia Buffalo Treehopper 12
	Photo by: Solomon Hendrix Out Of State Co. Comment: female; collected sweeping asteraceous foliage	Photo by: Solomon Hendrix Out Of State Co. Comment: female; collected sweeping asteraceous foliage
	Photo by: Solomon Hendrix Out Of State Co. Comment: female; collected sweeping asteraceous foliage	Photo by: Solomon Hendrix Out Of State Co. Comment: female; collected sweeping asteraceous foliage
	Photo by: Solomon Hendrix Out Of State Co. Comment: female; collected sweeping asteraceous foliage	Photo by: Solomon Hendrix Out Of State Co. Comment: male; collected sweeping asteraceous foliage
	Photo by: Solomon Hendrix Out Of State Co. Comment: male; collected sweeping asteraceous foliage	Photo by: Solomon Hendrix Out Of State Co. Comment: male; collected sweeping asteraceous foliage
	Photo by: Solomon Hendrix Out Of State Co. Comment: male; collected sweeping asteraceous foliage	Photo by: Solomon Hendrix Out Of State Co. Comment: male; collected sweeping asteraceous foliage
	Photo by: Matthew S. Wallace Out Of State Co. Comment:	Photo by: Matthew S. Wallace Out Of State Co. Comment:

Stictocephala bisonia - Buffalo Treehopper

Species Photo Gallery for Stictocephala bisonia Buffalo Treehopper 12