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

Telamona tiliae - Basswood Treehopper


© Tom Ward- note yellow color
© Tom Ward- note greenish color & crest shape
© Tom Ward- note pattern
© Tom Ward
Taxonomy
Family: MEMBRACIDAESubfamily: SmiliinaeTribe: Telamonini
Taxonomic Author: Ball, 1925
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF  iNaturalist                                                                                  
Description: A dirty grayish-green species that can fade to a dirty yellowish color, mottled with darker reddish-brown markings on the pronotum. Males have a broad and dark oblique fascia broadening from the costa to cover most of the pronotal crest that is definite (there is a broad light stripe on the anterior and posterior margins of the crest), whereas females have a weaker fascia that may only be emphasized on the margin and a more quadrangular pronotal crest. The pronotum is long, acute, with a broad crest, and quadrangular in shape, being inclined posteriorly and sloping anteriorly: the crest is obliquely truncate with the anterior angle roundedly rectangular and the posterior one obtuse with an upright margin that rounds into the rest of the pronotum. Adult females are 10 mm long, 6 mm wide, and 5 mm in height (Kopp & Yonke 1974)

For more pics 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, as far south as North Carolina and Oklahoma (Deitz & Wallace 2012, Kopp & Yonke 1974)
Abundance: Rare but likely overlooked, recently recorded from a couple counties in the mountains. Likely more abundant where Basswood is present.
Seasonal Occurrence
Jan
Feb
Mar
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Jun
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Oct
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Dec
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Forested areas
Plant Associates: Primarily associated with American Basswood (Tilia americana); also Common Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), Hawthorn (Crataegus sp.), Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), White Oak (Quercus alba), Bur Oak (Q. macrocarpa), Chinkapin Oak (Q. muehlenbergii), Northern Red Oak (Q. rubra), and Black Oak (Q. velutina). (Wallace 2014, Kopp & Yonke 1974)
Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.
Comment: This species is intermediate between Telamona spreta and Telamona reclivata, particularly resembling spreta but with definite markings in males (Kopp & Yonke 1974); note the difference in pronotal crest shape as well between the two species. It is also quite similar to Telamona decorata, but note that the darker coloration on the pronotum is more uniformly solid and much darker than in tiliae and that the pronotal shape also differs in many individuals between the two species (it can be much broader and tends to be more rounded in decorata).
Status: Native
Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Telamona tiliae Basswood Treehopper

Photo by: tom ward
Buncombe Co.
Comment: came to UV light near a basswood tree		Photo by: tom ward
Buncombe Co.
Comment: came to UV light
Photo by: tom ward
Buncombe Co.
Comment: came to UV light		Photo by: tom ward
Buncombe Co.
Comment: came to UV light
Photo by: tom ward
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_treehopper
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_treehopper		Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_treehopper
Photo by: tom ward
Buncombe Co.
Comment: attracted to UV light		Photo by: tom ward
Buncombe Co.
Comment: attracted to UV light
Photo by: tom ward
Buncombe Co.
Comment: attracted to UV light		Photo by: tom ward
Buncombe Co.
Comment: attracted to UV light
Photo by: tom ward
Buncombe Co.
Comment: attracted to UV light		Photo by: tom ward
Buncombe Co.
Comment: attracted to UV light
Photo by: tom ward
Buncombe Co.
Comment: attracted to UV light		Photo by: tom ward
Buncombe Co.
Comment: attracted to UV light
Photo by: tom ward
Buncombe Co.
Comment: attracted to UV light		Photo by: tom ward
Buncombe Co.
Comment: attracted to UV light
Photo by: tom ward
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: tom ward
Buncombe Co.
Comment: attracted to UV light
Photo by: tom ward
Buncombe Co.
Comment: came to sheet by UV light		Photo by: tom ward
Buncombe Co.
Comment: came to sheet by UV light
Photo by: tom ward
Buncombe Co.
Comment: attracted to UV light		Photo by: tom ward
Buncombe Co.
Comment: attracted to UV light
Photo by: tom ward
Buncombe Co.
Comment: attracted to UV light