Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

CICADELLIDAE Members:	NC Records
Empoa casta - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family: CICADELLIDAE	Subfamily: Typhlocybinae	Synonym: Typhlocyba casta
Taxonomic Author: (McAtee 1926)

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist Google
Description: A pale yellowish species, with a yellowish-white to light yellow head, pronotum, and scutellum; sometimes the scutellum is a deep yellow to yellowish-brown. The wings are yellowish-white to whitish with a dark brown transverse band across the middle of the wings. This band is oblique on the corium (outer part of the wing), curving downwards to the costal margins (instead of transversing straight across the wings); this band is narrow and sometimes consists of only several spots or slight traces of of brown near the costal margin. The transverse band is as bold as, but not bolder than the dark brown infuscations around the apical crossveins: the spots around the apical crossveins form a band of their own, typically consisting of four spots in the inner three basal and first apical cells to eight or nine spots in these cells. Individuals that only have four spots making up the apical band usually lack a median transverse band. The abdomen has the dorsum of each segment black on the basal half; the underside of these segments is black in males, yellow or white in females. Adults are 3.25-3.75 mm long. (Christian, 1954) For 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.

Distribution: Transcontinental, throughout North America (3I)

Abundance: Recorded from a few counties in the mountains and Piedmont; likely under colelcted and tehrefore 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:

Plant Associates: Quercus alba, Q. macrocarpa, Quercus sp. (Christian, 1954)

Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.

Comment: Christian, 1954 stated that the series of specimens collected on Quercus sp. from Franklin, NC differed from typical casta specimens in being slightly larger and having the median transverse band sharply distinct with smooth margins; the ground color was an opaque light yellow. Due to these differences, Christian noted that this form could be a distinct species. If individuals matching this description are found, it is important for them to be collected in order to determine if they truly are separate species.

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

See also Habitat Account for General Oak-Hickory Forests

Species Photo Gallery for Empoa casta No Common Name
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Polk Co. Comment: male	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Polk Co. Comment: male
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Transylvania Co. Comment: male	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Transylvania Co. Comment: male
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Transylvania Co. Comment: male	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Attracted to UV light. Suburban yard near woods.
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Attracted to UV light. Suburban yard near woods.	Photo by: J. Allen Ratzlaff Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Photo by: J. Allen Ratzlaff Buncombe Co. Comment:	Photo by: J. Allen Ratzlaff Buncombe Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/16095891

Empoa casta - No Common Name

Species Photo Gallery for Empoa casta No Common Name