Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

CICADELLIDAE Members:	NC Records
Scaphoideus obtusus - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family: CICADELLIDAE

Subfamily: Deltocephalinae

Tribe: Scaphoideini

Subgenus: Scaphoideus

Taxonomic Author: Osborn, 1900

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist Google
Description: A very distinctive member of this genus, with intense grayish-white and dark brown coloration. The crown is whitish with a thin, dark-brown marginal line, a transverse orange band between the eyes with a darker diamond shape in the middle, sometimes extending towards the pronotum. The eyes are dark brown to blackish, the face is brown to blackish (this varies among individuals) with one to three darker brown lines below the crown; the areas below the eyes on the side of the head are blackish. The pronotum is dark brown with a medial whitish-gray cruciate pattern; the posterior margin can be pale. The scutellum posterior half is yellowish-white with black marks on the lateral margins; the anterior half has a dark brown trapezoid-like shape in the middle and an orange-brown square on either side. The wings have a grayish-white base color with brown to blackish venation. There is a blackish diagonal band at the base of each wing and a broad dark-brown to black transverse vertical bar about 2/3 of the length of the wings; this wing pattern is distinctive and characteristic of this species. The wing tips have a smoky orange tint to them. The female pregenital sternite is anteriorly yellow and posteriorly brownish-black. The male subgenital plates are trapezoid-like in shape with blunt, rounded apices. Adult males are 4.9-5.3 mm long, females are 5.3-5.9 mm. (Barnett 1976) 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.

Distribution: Eastern North America, though primarily from the Midwest and central U.S.; in the Southeast, recorded from AL, VA, and now NC. (Barnett 1976)

Abundance: Uncommon, recorded from several counties in the mountains and Piedmont; likely more abundant in this region though.

Seasonal Occurrence

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Woodland habitats

Plant Associates: Ulmus americana, Fraxinus nigra, cottonwoods (Barnett 1976)

Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.

Comment: This species could maybe be confused with some individuals of S. opalinus, as both species have a similar gray coloration on the wings. Note however that opalinus lacks the characteristic dark wing bands found on S. obtusus; obtusus is also much darker on the face and underside.

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Scaphoideus obtusus No Common Name 13
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Yancey Co. Comment: 5.5 mm female came to UV light at night	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Yancey Co. Comment: 5.5 mm female came to UV light at night
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Yancey Co. Comment: 5.5 mm female came to UV light at night	Photo by: John Petranka Watauga Co. Comment: Attracted overnight to 15W UV light sheet.
	Photo by: John Petranka Watauga Co. Comment: Attracted overnight to 15W UV light sheet.	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Polk Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Polk Co. Comment:	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Polk Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Polk Co. Comment:	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Ashe Co. Comment: 3200', female specimen photographed
	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Ashe Co. Comment: 3200', female specimen photographed	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Ashe Co. Comment: 3200\', female specimen photographed
	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Ashe Co. Comment: 3200\', female specimen photographed

Scaphoideus obtusus - No Common Name

Species Photo Gallery for Scaphoideus obtusus No Common Name 13