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

Xerophloea major - No Common Name


© John Rosenfeld- female
© John Rosenfeld- female; note broad head
© John Rosenfeld- female
Taxonomy
Family: CICADELLIDAESubfamily: LedrinaeTribe: Xerophloeini
Taxonomic Author: (Baker, 1898)
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF  iNaturalist                                                                                  
Description: This species [usually] has a broadly rounded anterior margin to he head, strongly produced anteriorly (i.e. the head is large). The head is noticeably declivous, sloping downwards rather than being held straight out. The pronotum is slightly longer than the head, but both lengths are quite similar. The wings and pronotum are corasely punctuate, more so than on the head. Males are an almost uniform light fuscous color with a dark fuscous, longitudinal median line on the head; there is a dark transverse band on the anterior and posterior margins of the pronotum. The wing veins are sometimes dark. Females are uniformly green. The female pregenital sternite has a small median indentation on the posterior margin, in between two rounded lateral lobes; the sternite itself is noticeably long. Adult males are 7.1-7.6 mm long, females are 7.7-8.9 mm. (Nielson, 1961)

For more images of this species, see: 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: Eastern United States, but primarily absent from the Southeast; not a very common species (Hamilton, 1975)
Abundance: Recorded from several counties in the mountains and Piedmont, though Nielson (1961) depicts the species ranging throughout most of the state. Likely an uncommon to rare species in North Carolina.
Seasonal Occurrence
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Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Grassy areas
Plant Associates: Grasses
Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light, though usually found during the day.
Comment: NOTE: This is the only member of the genus that has a completely rounded anterior margin of the head (Nielson, 1961). However, there can be a great degree of variability in the head shape and some forms of this species may have pointed heads (Hamilton, 1975).
Status: Native
Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Xerophloea major No Common Name

Photo by: John Rosenfeld
Out Of State Co.
Comment: female		Photo by: John Rosenfeld
Out Of State Co.
Comment: female
Photo by: John Rosenfeld
Out Of State Co.
Comment: female