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

Erythridula complex 1 - 'Dark-backed' Erythridula



© Paul Scharf- note dark band

© Paul Scharf- note coloration

© Kyle Kittelberger

© Kyle Kittelberger- variation
Taxonomy
Family: CICADELLIDAESubfamily: TyphlocybinaeTribe: Erythroneurini
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF  iNaturalist                                                                                  
Description: A largely bicolored hopper, mostly yellowish-white with a bold dark brown to blackish longitudinal band [typically] across the entire length of the body. The black band is sometimes bordered on each side by a couple of yellow to reddish-orange lines on the wings. The width of the black band varies among specimens. In some individuals, the black line is interrupted, appearing as a set up continuous patches. The band tends to taper on the margin of the head. Adults are around 3.0 mm long
Distribution in North Carolina
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Distribution: Eastern North America
Abundance: Scattered records from the Piedmont and mountains, probably found throughout the state.
Seasonal Occurrence
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Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Has been found in mixed hardwood and open forest habitat.
Plant Associates: See respective species links below.
Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.
Comment: Erythridula is a very challenging genus to identify to species level, as there can be variation in pattern and coloration within species, and many species resemble one another. Dissecting specimens is the the only way to determine species for many cases. This page represents individuals that could represent one of several species that have a dark band on the wings and body: divisa, stolata, and rufostigmosa var. 'subnila'. C. Dietrich notes that he does not "know of any consistent way to tell members of this group apart using coloration." Therefore, it is not reliable to distinguish any individuals in this group to species level without analyzing a specimen or associating an individual with a host plant. Below are the descriptions from the 3I database, and links to those species profile pages, that show how similar these species can be to one another.

E. divisa- Dorsum yellow or white. Color pattern brown. Vertex with large basal dark area often extended onto pronotum. Vertex midline dark. Anteclypeus pale, concolorous with rest of face. Pronotum dark with pale lateral margins or pale with two longitudinal stripes. Mesonotum entirely dark, apex concolorous with rest of mesonotum. Thoracic venter with dark mesosternum, remainder pale. Forewings with oblique vittae, without crossbands. Clavus largely or entirely bright red or brown. Abdomen dark dorsally. Host plant: Juglans nigra.

E. rufostigmosa- Dorsum yellow or white. Color pattern red or orange or brown. Vertex with oblique lateral vittae or with large basal dark area often extended onto pronotum. Vertex midline pale or dark. Anteclypeus pale, concolorous with rest of face. Pronotum dark with pale lateral margins or pale with two longitudinal stripes. Mesonotum entirely dark, apex concolorous with rest of mesonotum. Thoracic venter with dark mesosternum, remainder pale. Forewings without oblique vittae or with oblique vittae or with oblique vittae usully forming continuous zigzag pattern, without crossbands. Clavus with continuous vitta parallel to suture or largely or entirely bright red or brown. Abdomen dark dorsally. Host plant: Salix spp.

E. stolata- Dorsum yellow or white. Color pattern red or orange or brown. Vertex with large basal dark area often extended onto pronotum. Vertex midline dark. Anteclypeus pale, concolorous with rest of face. Pronotum dark with pale lateral margins or pale with two longitudinal stripes. Mesonotum entirely dark, apex concolorous with rest of mesonotum. Thoracic venter entirely pale. Forewings without oblique vittae or with oblique vittae, without crossbands. Clavus largely or entirely bright red or brown. Abdomen dark dorsally. Host plant: Fagus grandifolia.

Status: Native
Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Erythridula complex 1 'Dark-backed' Erythridula

Photo by: Bo Sullivan
Ashe Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Bo Sullivan
Ashe Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Bo Sullivan
Ashe Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 2.8 mm male, came to UV light at night
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 2.8 mm male, came to UV light at night
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 2.8 mm male, came to UV light at night
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 2.9 mm, came to UV light at night
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Polk Co.
Comment: 1 female collected
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Polk Co.
Comment: 1 female collected
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Polk Co.
Comment: 1 female collected
Photo by: Bockhahn, Scharf
Burke Co.
Comment: LAJA - 2014 BioBlitz Attracted to Black Light the color is off due to the camera flash/black light
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf, Brian Bockhahn
Rockingham Co.
Comment: attracted at night with a light
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: mixed hardwood, open forest near lake edge
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger
Wake Co.
Comment: mixed hardwood forest habitat; American Beech is on our property. Not a good photo, but the only pic I have of this individual
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Attracted to Black Light
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Attracted to Black Light
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Attracted to Black Light
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Interesting Color Variation, Attracted to Black light
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Interesting Color Variation, Attracted to Black light
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Attracted to Light
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Attracted to Light
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Attracted to Light
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Attracted to Light
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Attracted to Light
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: attracted to Light
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: attracted to Light
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: mixed hardwood, open forest near lake edge
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: mixed hardwood, open forest near lake edge
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: mixed hardwood, open forest near lake edge