Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

CICADELLIDAE Members:	NC Records
Graminella plana - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family: CICADELLIDAE	Subfamily: Deltocephalinae	Tribe: Deltocephalini
Taxonomic Author: (DeLong, 1924)

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist Google

Description: A pale yellowish-orange species with four small but prominent black dots on the anterior margin of the vertex; the ocelli are also black, giving the impression of two more dots. The vertex is bluntly angled, one-fourth wider between the eyes than the median length. The face is pale, concolorous with the vertex. The wings are yellowish-orange with pale venation. The female pregenital sternite has short lateral margins, with rounded lobes on either side of a broad, sunken, truncated or slightly produced portion in the middle of the segment that is embrowned. The male subgenital plates are short and broad, with broad apices that are bluntly rounded. Adults are around 3.5-4.0 mm long. (DeLong & Mohr 1937)

Nymphs are pale with two bold longitudinal lines running from the tip of the vertex to the tip of the abdomen. They have spots along the margin of the characteristic, characteristic of the adults.

For additional 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 and central North America

Abundance: Recorded from several counties across the state, likely 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 in grassy areas.

Plant Associates:

Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.

Comment: G. plana could be confused with G. fitchii. G. plana is more orange than the yellowish-brown of fitchii and has black vertex spots that are not quite as bold as those in fitchii. Additionally, the wing venation and thoracic lines are much bolder in fitchii compared to plana, which lacks the thoracic lines. The genital characteristics are also distinct, and fitchii is also slightly larger. It may also be confused with the very similar G. oquaka, though this species lacks the black dots along the anterior margin of the vertex.

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Graminella plana No Common Name
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Caught sweeping in a grassy field.	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Caught sweeping in a grassy field.
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Caught sweeping in a grassy field.	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Caught sweeping in a grassy field.
	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Craven Co. Comment: female, 4.3 mm	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Craven Co. Comment: female, 4.3 mm
	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Craven Co. Comment: female, 4.3 mm	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Craven Co. Comment: female, 4.3 mm
	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Craven Co. Comment: female, 4.3 mm	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Craven Co. Comment: female, 4.3 mm
	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	Photo by: John Rosenfeld Out Of State Co. Comment: female
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest; female	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest; female
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest; female	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest; female
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Yancey Co. Comment: short grassy area adjacent to meadow	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Yancey Co. Comment: short grassy area adjacent to meadow
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Yancey Co. Comment: short grassy area adjacent to meadow	Photo by: Luke Armstrong Wake Co. Comment: first posted to iNaturalist

Graminella plana - No Common Name

Species Photo Gallery for Graminella plana No Common Name