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

Erythridula complex 2 - Erythridula aesculella or rubroscuta



© Kyle Kittelberger

© Scott Bolick

© Kyle Kittelberger
Taxonomy
Family: CICADELLIDAESubfamily: TyphlocybinaeTribe: Erythroneurini
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF  iNaturalist                                                                                  
Description: A largely bicolored hopper, mostly yellowish-white with variable red patches across the body: in some individuals the scutellum/pronotum lacks any red coloration, whereas in others these areas are entirely red. In all individuals though, there is an incomplete red transverse crossband across the middle of the wings. Adults are around 3.1-3.4 mm long.

For more images of this group, see: BG.

Distribution in North Carolina
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Distribution: Eastern United States
Abundance: Scattered records from the Piedmont and mountains, probably found throughout the state.
Seasonal Occurrence
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Forested areas
Plant Associates: Both species primarily feed on Aesculus glabra: E. aesculella, E. rubroscuta.
Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.
Comment: Erythridula is a very challenging genus to identify to species level, as there can be variation in pattern and coloration within species, and many species resemble one another. Dissecting specimens is the the only way to determine species for many cases. This page represents individuals that could represent either E. aesculella or E. rubroscuta, two species that are essentially identical in appearance and coloration. Therefore, it is not reliable to distinguish any individuals in this group to species level without analyzing a specimen. Below are the descriptions from the 3I database, and links to those species profile pages, that show how similar these species can be to one another.

E. aesculella- Dorsum yellow or white. Color pattern red or orange. Vertex unicolorous. Vertex midline pale. Face without black spots anterodorsad of antennal pits. Anteclypeus pale, concolorous with rest of face. Pronotum almost entirely dark. Mesonotum entirely dark, apex pale, contrasting with rest of mesonotum. Thoracic venter entirely pale. Forewings without oblique vittae, with crossband, not reaching lateral margins and bases of wings, without numerous irregular red dots. Clavus with dark band, apex and base pale. Forewings without dark spot on costal margin. Forewing apical cell II without distal spot, inner apical cell without brown spot. Abdomen pale dorsally.

E. rubroscuta- Dorsum yellow or white. Color pattern red or orange. Vertex unicolorous or with oblique lateral vittae. Vertex midline pale. Face without black spots anterodorsad of antennal pits. Anteclypeus pale, concolorous with rest of face. Pronotum almost entirely dark. Mesonotum entirely dark, apex concolorous with rest of mesonotum. Thoracic venter entirely pale. Forewings without oblique vittae, with crossband, not reaching lateral margins and bases of wings, without numerous irregular red dots. Clavus with dark band, apex and base pale. Forewings without dark spot on costal margin. Forewing apical cell II without distal spot, inner apical cell without brown spot. Abdomen pale dorsally.

Status: Native
Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Erythridula complex 2 Erythridula aesculella or rubroscuta

Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_leafhopper
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment:
Photo by: J. Bolling Sullivan
Ashe Co.
Comment: elev.=3200 2 females, 1 male (photographed)
Photo by: J. Bolling Sullivan
Ashe Co.
Comment: elev.=3200 2 females, 1 male (photographed)
Photo by: J. Bolling Sullivan
Ashe Co.
Comment: elev.=3200 2 females, 1 male (photographed)
Photo by: J. Bolling Sullivan
Ashe Co.
Comment: elev.=3200 2 females, 1 male (photographed)
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Polk Co.
Comment: female; aesculella or rubroscuta
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Polk Co.
Comment: female; aesculella or rubroscuta
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Randolph Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Randolph Co.
Comment: