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

Stictocephala bisonia - Buffalo Treehopper


© Matthew S. Wallace
© Kyle Kittelberger- note overall shape
© Ken Childs- note 'boxy' appearance
© Ken Childs- note color and spotty pattern
Taxonomy
Family: MEMBRACIDAESubfamily: SmiliinaeSynonym: Ceresa bisonia
Taxonomic Author: (Kopp & Yonke)
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF                                                                                  
Description: This species ranges in color from orange-brown to [typically] green, and has densely scattered pale whitish dots across the pronotum. The pronotum itself appears 'boxy,' being noticeably high and large, a shape characteristic of this species. The leg color can range from greenish to dark reddish-brown. 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
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Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Has been found along forest edge.
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 and showing [in some individuals] dark brown legs. However, bisonia lacks the dense pubescence of bubalus and has an overall 'boxier' pronotum: it is noticeably higher and larger than in bubalus.
Status: Native
Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Stictocephala bisonia Buffalo Treehopper

Photo by: Matthew Goulding Guilin
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Matthew Goulding Guilin
Cabarrus Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Transylvania Co.
Comment: female; 7.4 mm		Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Transylvania Co.
Comment: female; 7.4 mm
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Transylvania Co.
Comment: female; 7.4 mm		Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Transylvania Co.
Comment: female; 7.4 mm
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Transylvania Co.
Comment: female; 7.4 mm		Photo by: Ken Childs
Out Of State Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Ken Childs
Out Of State Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Ken Childs
Out Of State Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Matthew S. Wallace
Out Of State Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Matthew S. Wallace
Out Of State Co.
Comment: