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

Planicephalus flavicosta_flavocostatus complex - No Common Name


© Kyle Kittelberger
© Ken Childs
© Kyle Kittelberger- nymph
Taxonomy
Family: CICADELLIDAESubfamily: DeltocephalinaeTribe: DeltocephaliniSynonym: Deltocephalus flavicosta/flavocostatus complex
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF                                                                                  
Description: A small dark leafhopper that is very highly variable in coloration, from pale to very dark. There is a small pale yellow border to the outer edge of the wings that ends in a short dash; another small white dash is found closer to the wingtip, and the wingtip itself has a white edge. There are several small white dots on the front of the head and behind the eyes. The legs are pale brown. P. flavocostatus is typically much darker overall than P. flavicosta, the latter of which typically has brownish wings. But the overlap between these species, and variations in the color of individuals makes it almost impossible to differentiate the two species by appearance alone. Nymphs are an overall brownish color with a black tip to the abdomen and several dark brown abdominal segments. (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: A common and widespread complex. P. flavicosta is found from Canada south through the eastern United States to Argentina and into the West Indies. P. flavocostatus is a more northern species, found in the eastern United States (from the Northeast south to NC) and New Brunswick. Unfortunately for us, the two species' ranges overlap in NC. (BG)
Abundance: A common species where recorded, this species has been found across the state in all three regions.
Seasonal Occurrence
Jan
Feb
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Dec
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Grassy, brushy areas
Plant Associates:
Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.
Comment: Due to the broad range overlap of P. flavicosta and P. flavocostatus (both species occur in the state), and the similarity in the appearance of the two species (both essentially have identical coloration), this complex will serve to represent any individuals that are one of these two species. The only true way to distinguish the two species is based on male genitalia.

While these two species are considered by most experts to be in the genus Planicephalus, some treat them as a subgenus of Deltocephalus.

Status: Native
Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Planicephalus flavicosta_flavocostatus complex No Common Name

Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Guilford Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/118279910		Photo by: John Petranka
Orange Co.
Comment: New Hope Creek Biodiversity Survey
Photo by: John Petranka
Orange Co.
Comment: New Hope Creek Biodiversity Survey		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/96838005
Photo by: Lior Carlson
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Simpson Eason
Durham Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/66152891		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/65841916
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/65651843		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/65651857
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/64184227		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/63045648
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/61972659		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/61815291
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/61507649		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/61507661
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/57782665		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/57782669
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/57782675		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/57782681
Photo by: Erich Hofmann
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/56672865
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/55556923		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/54210959
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/54210978		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/53864474
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/53864474		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/48715639
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/43963137		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/36480418
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/35900497		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/34808382
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/34808394		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/34223859
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/34223859		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/34223859
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/34223879		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/34041645
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/34041645		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/34041647
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33676719		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33676725
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33501673		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33345600
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33345600		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33345600
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33345603		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33345615
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33345617		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33345623
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33044020		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32660702
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32660677		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32660677
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32558131		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32558137
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32558144		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32558150
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32558150		Photo by: Vin Stanton
Buncombe Co.
Comment: May be Deltocephalus flavocostatus, tentative id from "fieldguide" website. - unid_leafhopper
Photo by: Vin Stanton
Buncombe Co.
Comment: May be Deltocephalus flavocostatus, tentative id from "fieldguide" website. - unid_leafhopper		Photo by: Vin Stanton
Buncombe Co.
Comment: May be Deltocephalus flavocostatus, tentative id from "fieldguide" website. - unid_leafhopper
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32233785		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32233792
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32233802		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32007557
Photo by: Mark Shields
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/31947201
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/31501652		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/31491227
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/31319221		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/31209185
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/31017977		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/29874462
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/29874470		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/29874476
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/29673674 - unid_leafhopper		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/29673674 - unid_leafhopper
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/29673674 - unid_leafhopper		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/29673669
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28970637
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28696167 - unid_leafhopper		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28696167 - unid_leafhopper
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28525395		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28525392
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28362391		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28362391
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28451159		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28262534
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28262534		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28262534
Photo by: Randy Emmitt
Orange Co.
Comment: lots of them, more a week or two ago.		Photo by: Randy Emmitt
Orange Co.
Comment: uv light
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 3 mm; male		Photo by: R Emmitt
Orange Co.
Comment: Deltocephalus flavicosta/flavocostatus complex - unid_leafhopper
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Halifax Co.
Comment: grassy, brushy habitat		Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping		Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Attracted to Light
Photo by: Ken Childs
Out Of State Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger
Wake Co.
Comment: open forest habitat, near mixed hardwoods; on a lawn
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf
Gates Co.
Comment: grassy, brushy habitat; more likely D. flavocostatus		Photo by: Harry Wilson
Wake Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf
Dare Co.
Comment: open, coastal habitat near some pines		Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger
Wake Co.
Comment: Deltocephalus flavocostatus- nymph [ID determined by A.Hamilton]. Found sweeping grass
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger
Wake Co.
Comment: Deltocephalus flavocostatus- nymph [ID determined by A.Hamilton]. Found sweeping grass