Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

Cicadellidae Members:	NC Records
Macrosteles lepidus - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family: Cicadellidae	Subfamily: Deltocephalinae	Tribe: Macrostelini
Taxonomic Author: (Van Duzee, 1894)

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist Google
Description: A yellow, ochreous to yellowish green species overall, sometimes with faint smoky tinting to the wings. The vertex is essentially rounded in males and slightly pointed in females. There are six prominent large, black markings on the vertex: 2 large ones in the middle of the head (between the eyes), 2 on the vertex edge (these are tear-shaped), and 1 on the side of each eye. Median spots are always absent on the vertex, while lateral spots are sometimes present and, if so, isolated. The size and boldness of these head markings can vary among individuals. The face has transverse streaks reduced or absent. There is a small black spot in each lateral triangle of the scutellum. The female pregenital sternite has the posterior margin convexly rounded on either side of a broad but shallow median excavation. The male subgenital plates are short, with attenuated apexes; there are 9-11 macrosetae along the lateral margins. Adults males are 3.2-3.7 mm long, females are 3.5-4.0 mm. (DeLong 1948; Kwon & Kwon, 2022) For images of this species, see: BG. For diagrams of this species, see: 3I.

Distribution in North Carolina

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

Distribution: Primarily eastern and central United States, though also known from Oregon and Ontario (Kwon & Kwon, 2022).

Abundance: Recorded from the Piedmont and mountains, where uncommon; probably more abundant in the right habitat.

Seasonal Occurrence

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

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Near moist or swampy woodland areas

Plant Associates: ?

Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.

Comment: This species is very similar to M. parvidens and an identification can be challenging between the two; it is therefore important for either a detailed, clear view of the head to show the markings or a nice image of the female pregenital sternite. The size of the central black spots on the top of the vertex are typically noticeably larger in lepidus than parvidens and, when present, the black spot next to the eye in parvidens is typically connected to the vertex spot through a connecting bar. Additionally, lepidus tends to have a head that has a shorter width between the eyes than parvidens. Finally, the wings of lepidus are typically semi-hyaline to slightly smoky, while the wings of parvidens are typically quite smoky, sometimes with various noticeably white patches amid the dark. The pronotum of parvidens can, in some individuals, be quite dark; the scutellar dark angles are also larger in parvidens, encompassing the entire basal angle; in lepidus, the dark marks don't tend to reach the margins of the scutellum, and they are also smaller. (Kwon & Kwon, 2022)

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Macrosteles lepidus No Common Name 15
	Photo by: Marilyn Westphal, Nora Murdock Henderson Co. Comment: Using beat sheet	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: female
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: 3.9 mm, female	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: 3.9 mm, female
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: 3.9 mm, female	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: 3.9 mm, female
	Photo by: John Petranka Orange Co. Comment: Attracted to 15W UV lamp	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Came to UV light. Suburban yard near woods. Female
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Came to UV light. Suburban yard near woods. Female	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Came to UV light. Suburban yard near woods. Female
	Photo by: Randy L Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: UV light	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 4.1 mm, sweep through permanently wet marshy area
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 4.1 mm, sweep through permanently wet marshy area	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 4.1 mm, sweep through permanently wet marshy area
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 4.1 mm, sweep through permanently wet marshy area

Macrosteles lepidus - No Common Name

Species Photo Gallery for Macrosteles lepidus No Common Name 15