Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

MEMBRACIDAE Members:	NC Records
Enchenopa latipes - Widefooted Treehopper, Eastern Thornhopper

Taxonomy

Family: MEMBRACIDAE	Subfamily: Membracinae	Synonym: Campylenchia latipes, Enchenopa rugosa
Taxonomic Author: (Say, 1824)

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist
Description: The only treehopper in the east with a forward pointing horn; in other horned species, the horn curves upwards. A distinctive looking species, adults are dark in color, ranging in color from reddish brown to dark brown, almost black. The edges of the wings are rufous-colored, and the hind legs are spiny while the front legs are leaf-like, giving the appearance of having wide 'feet'. Females are 9mm long, while males are 7.5mm in length (BG). In females, the horn extends well away from the rest of the body, while in males the horn is much smaller. Nymphs are also distinctive- they have largely green abdomens with a row of dark spines on the top. Depending on age, the thorax and head of the nymphs may range in color from light brown to blackis with gray mottling.

Distribution in North Carolina

County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.

Distribution: Found throughout the United States and Canada

Abundance: Recorded throughout the state, common in many locations. Seasonal distribution: 4 May-21 November (CTNC)

Seasonal Occurrence

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

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Found in a variety of habitats, including fields and other grassy areas, brushy habitats (especially where Solidago is present) and forest edge.

Plant Associates: Associated with herbaceous plants, especially Asteraceae, goldenrod (Solidago sp.), and Medicago sativa (CTNC)

Behavior: To listen to the male courtship call for this genus, listen here. These courtship calls are not audible to the human ear, and the calls here are produced by recording the substrate vibrations that the treehoppers use to communicate through the plants themselves. The recorded call is then amplified so that it is now audible to human ears. Research has shown that treehoppers use vibrations to attract mates, to announce the discovery of a good feeding site, or to alert a defending mother to the approach of a predator (T.IM) .

Comment: Often tended by ants.

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Enchenopa latipes - Widefooted Treehopper, Eastern Thornhopper

Species Photo Gallery for Enchenopa latipes Widefooted Treehopper, Eastern Thornhopper

Species Photo Gallery for Enchenopa latipes Widefooted Treehopper, Eastern Thornhopper
	Photo by: B. Bockhahn Henderson Co. Comment:	Photo by: B. Bockhahn Henderson Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Watauga Co. Comment:	Photo by: Erin Price-Erwin Guilford Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Avery Co. Comment: unid_treehopper	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: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_treehopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment:	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment:	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment:	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment:	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment:	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment:	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_planthopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: unid_planthopper	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: On Solidago (goldenrod)
	Photo by: B. Bockhahn, P. Coin Durham Co. Comment: Eno River State Park	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Wake Co. Comment: grassy, field-type habitat
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Wake Co. Comment: grassy, field-type habitat	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Vance Co. Comment: Field/forest edge habitat
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Vance Co. Comment: Field/forest edge habitat	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Vance Co. Comment: Field/forest edge habitat
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Watauga Co. Comment: brushy vegetation surrounded by forest; very abundant, all nymphs	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Watauga Co. Comment: brushy vegetation surrounded by forest; very abundant, all nymphs
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Watauga Co. Comment: brushy vegetation surrounded by forest; very abundant, all nymphs	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Watauga Co. Comment: brushy vegetation surrounded by forest; very abundant, all nymphs
	Photo by: Paul Scharf, B.Bockhahn Rockingham Co. Comment:	Photo by: Harry Wilson Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood and pine habitat
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Watauga Co. Comment: grassy, brushy habitat near mixed hardwood forest; nymphs and adults	Photo by: T. DeSantis Orange Co. Comment: ENRI
	Photo by: F. Williams, S. Williams Gates Co. Comment: MEMI	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Yancey Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Swain Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/51728524	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Swain Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/51728524
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Swain Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/51728524	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Swain Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/52744534
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Caught sweeping. Weedy woodland edge.	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Caught sweeping. Weedy woodland edge.