Hoppers of North Carolina:
Spittlebugs, Leafhoppers, Treehoppers, and Planthoppers
Scientific Name: Search Common Name:
Family (Alpha):
« »
CICADELLIDAE Members: NC Records

Empoa gillettei - No Common Name


© Kyle Kittelberger- typical coloration
© Rob Van Epps- note straight middle band
© Rob Van Epps
© Ken Childs- note double-banded appearance
Taxonomy
Family: CICADELLIDAESubfamily: TyphlocybinaeSynonym: Typhlocyba gillettei
Taxonomic Author: (Van Duzee 1917)
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF  iNaturalist                                                                                  
Description: A yellowish species with a bold, prominent wing pattern that can strongly vary among individuals. There is a dark median transverse brown band that extends straight to the costal margins; this band can vary in width among individuals. The wing tips are bicolored: the apical crossveins are strongly infuscated but the wing tips themselves are lightly infuscated and typically appear pale, providing a noticeable contrast with the crossveins. As a result of the pale tips, dark crossveins, and median transverse band, the wings appear double-banded. Note that the extent to which the crossveins and surrounding cells are infuscated can strongly vary among individuals; sometimes the margin of the tips can be infuscated, kind of 'cupping' the rest of the pale area. The head and pronotum are yellowish-white to bright yellow, the scutellum ranges from yellowish-orange to dark brown. The abdomen is yellow with basal half of the dorsum of three basal segments black; the underside is yellowish-white. Adults are 3.25-3.5 mm long. (Christian, 1953), (Hamilton, 1983)

For more pics of this species showing the range of variation in color and pattern, 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: Transcontinental, with a majority of records coming from eastern and central North America (3I)
Abundance: Scattered records across the Piedmont and mountains where it can be locally common; 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: Has been found near mixed hardwood forest and higher elevation forest.
Plant Associates: Recorded hosts include at least 6 families of deciduous trees, including birches (Betula sp.), alders (Alnus sp.), maple (Acer sp.), hickory (Carya sp.), cherry (Prunus sp.), oak (Quercus sp.), and willow (Salix sp.) (3I)
Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.
Comment: The paler forms of E. venusta, with a transverse median wing band rather than a large basal dark patch, are similar in appearance to E. gillettei. The band of both species can vary drastically between both species, so the size of the band itself is not a good determinant of species. The key characteristic distinguishing the two species is the wing tips. In gillettei, the apical crossveins are strongly infuscated but the wing tips themselves are lightly infuscated and typically appear pale, providing a noticeable contrast with the crossveins; as a result of the pale tips, dark crossveins, and median transverse band, the wings appear double-banded. In TE. venusta, the apical crossveins are strongly infuscated BUT the tips are also dark, forming a typically solid brown tip; sometimes the apical cells aren't quite as dark as the crossveins, but they are still noticeably dark compared to typical gillettei. Typically, the infuscations around the crossveins are bolder and thicker in venusta compared to gillettei, but the extent to which these veins and the surrounding cells are infuscated can strongly vary in gillettei (variants were initially described as separate species but are likely just a result of genetic heterogeny across the range of gillettei); darkness of wing tips is a better characteristic to use when determining species. (Hamilton, 1983)
Status: Native
Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Empoa gillettei No Common Name

Photo by: K. Bischof
Transylvania Co.
Comment: GORG		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: 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: 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: 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: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Attracted to UV light.
Photo by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Attracted to UV light.		Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 3.5 mm female came to UV light in early evening
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 3.5 mm female came to UV light in early evening		Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 3.5 mm female came to UV light in early evening
Photo by: Erich Hofmann
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Erich Hofmann
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Erich Hofmann
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Erich Hofmann
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Jim Petranka
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Bo Sullivan
Ashe Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Forsyth Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Forsyth Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Vin Stanton
Buncombe Co.
Comment: semi wooded residential neighborhood		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Swain Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/52211852
Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Swain Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/52211852		Photo by: Margarita Lankford
Swain Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/52211852
Photo by: Jim Petranka
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger
Wake Co.
Comment:
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: Jim Petranka
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: B. Bockhahn
Alleghany Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Yancey Co.
Comment: 3.5 mm. © Kyle Kittelberger		Photo by: vin stanton
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Yancey Co.
Comment: 3.5 mm		Photo by: Ken Kneidel
Yancey Co.
Comment: 3.5 mm
Photo by: Randy Emmitt
Orange Co.
Comment: uv light		Photo by: Randy L Emmitt
Orange Co.
Comment:
Photo by: R Emmitt
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Ken Childs
Out Of State Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Ken Childs
Out Of State Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger
Wake Co.
Comment: mixed hardwood forest habitat
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger
Wake Co.
Comment: mixed hardwood forest habitat		Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger
Wake Co.
Comment: mixed hardwood forest habitat
Photo by: T. DeSantis
Durham Co.
Comment: ENRI		Photo by: T. DeSantis, B. Hall
Durham Co.
Comment: ENRI
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Attracted to 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: 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,Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Surry Co.
Comment: Attracted To Black Light		Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Surry Co.
Comment: grassy, brushy habitat near forest edge & forest
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Surry Co.
Comment: grassy, brushy habitat near forest edge & forest		Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Ashe Co.
Comment: mixed hardwood forest habitat