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

Draeculacephala constricta - No Common Name



© Kyle Kittelberger- note yellowish face

© Kyle Kittelberger- note whitish wing venation

© Kyle Kittelberger- female; note yellowish
underside

© Kyle Kittelberger- female
Taxonomy
Family: CICADELLIDAESubfamily: Cicadellinae
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF  iNaturalist                                                                                  
Description: A green species that lacks blue pigment in the wing venation and on the pronotum; the wing veins are pale, whitish in color. The pronotum seems to have a single pale line in the middle that spans the entire length and crosses onto the scutellum. This species has a yellowish face and yellow venter (underside of the abdomen). There is a black line edging the side of the hold. Males are less than 6.6 mm long while females are less than 8.0 mm. (Dietrich 1994)

For more images of this species, especially nice sets of ones that have been dissected, see: BG

Distribution in North Carolina
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Distribution: United States, east of the Rocky Mountains (Dietrich 1994); seems to be more of a northeastern species in the East
Abundance: Uncommon to rare in the state with just a few records. Seemingly found only in the mountains, perhaps under collected and misidentified by others.
Seasonal Occurrence
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Has been found in grassy, brushy field-type habitats
Plant Associates: Grasses
Behavior: Probably can be attracted at night with a light
Comment:

D. constricta is one of several Draeculacephala that occur in North Carolina that can be quite challenging to distinguish from each other. It is very important to make sure that detailed, clear photos are taken for many of these challenging species, showing side profile and underside shots (to determine sex). Obtaining a measurement of the specimen can also be very crucial. Below are some features that can help distinguish the challenging Draeculacephalas from one another.

antica- pale underside, face can be a little dark; forewing veins whitish. Male (6.1 or 6.3-7.7 mm), Female (6.0, 7.3-8.6 mm); head edged with bold black line; head slightly downcurved; dark brown markings on the mesosterna just behind the front coxae- these are absent in constricta, which is otherwise very similar

bradleyi- females and male have a black face, venter is pale brownish (lighter in males, darker in females). Male (less than 6.6 mm), Female (less than 8.0 mm)

constricta- lacks blue pigment on wing veins and pronotum, yellow face and venter; black line edging on side of head not as bold as antica. Male (less than 6.6mm), Female (less than 8.0 mm)

mollipes- yellow face, yellow venter; black line edging not as bold as antica. Blue pigment on some veins and usually on pronotal lines; resembles a smaller version of robinsoni. Male (less than 6.6 mm), Female (less than 8.0 mm)

portola- resembles robinsoni, but has inflated face profile; larger than most robinsoni, male (~8.1 mm), female (9.9-10.6 mm) but lacks the blue pigmentation on veins and pronotum that robinsoni has; strictly coastal, rare

robinsoni- blue pigmentation on the pronotum and forewing venation; male abdomen usually mostly dark brown ventrally; male with crown shorter than or subequal in length to pronotum, female crown noticeably longer; abdominal sterna color extremely variable, typically entirely brown with various amounts of yellow; ranges from yellowish or yellowish-brown to blackish. Males much darker ventrally than females, sometimes blackish underneath. Males (6.5-8.2 mm) Females (8.0-10.5 mm)

Status: Native
Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Draeculacephala constricta No Common Name

Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_leafhopper
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_leafhopper
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_leafhopper
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_leafhopper
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_leafhopper
Photo by: R. Newman
Carteret Co.
Comment: FOMA
Photo by: R. Newman
Carteret Co.
Comment: FOMA
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Chatham Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/73979046
Photo by: Erich Hofmann
Craven Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/46406497
Photo by: Erich Hofmann
Craven Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/46406497
Photo by: Erich Hofmann
Craven Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/46406497
Photo by: Erich Hofmann
Craven Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/46406497; female, 6.9 mm. Additional pics by K. Kittelberger
Photo by: Erich Hofmann
Craven Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/46406497; female, 6.9 mm. Additional pics by K. Kittelberger
Photo by: Erich Hofmann
Craven Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/46406497; female, 6.9 mm. Additional pics by K. Kittelberger
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/29673656
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Orange Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28525388
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Mitchell Co.
Comment: brushy, shrubby vegetation in a montane "field"
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Mitchell Co.
Comment: brushy, shrubby vegetation in a montane "field"
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Halifax Co.
Comment: grassy area and mixed hardwood forest edge
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Mitchell Co.
Comment: brushy, shrubby vegetation in a montane "field"