Hoppers of North Carolina:
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MEMBRACIDAE Members: NC Records

Atymna helena - No Common Name

Atymna helena
© Kelli Ashby- female, note shape
Taxonomy
Family: MEMBRACIDAESubfamily: SmiliinaeTribe: Smiliini
Taxonomic Author: (Woodruff 1915)
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF  iNaturalist  Google                                                                                  
Description: Males have a greenish-yellow base color anteriorly, with brown to chestnut coloration posteriorly. While the pattern on the pronotum varies among individuals, it typically consists of an enlarged creamy central section (and possibly a small transverse creamy band near the apex) that are outlined in dark brown (and there tends to be pale speckling within the brown). The wings are largely hyaline, except for some dark brown at the bases and apices. The wing nervures are brown on the apical half and creamy towards the base. The abdomen is largely black, with segments outlined in white. Females have a distinctly higher and arcuate dorsal crest than the males and are greenish overall with white irrorations. The margin of the pronotum is bordered with reddish-orange. Adult males are 6 mm long while females are 7 mm. (Kopp & Yonke 1973)

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, where uncommon
Abundance: Rare, a single record from the Piedmont; likely more present and just under-collected.
Seasonal Occurrence
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Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Plant Associates: Swamp white oak, white oak, red oak, pin oak, bur oak, black oak, chinquapin oak, bitternut hickory (Kopp & Yonke 1973)
Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.
Comment: This species is perhaps most easily confused with Cyrtolobus dixianus (and the two should likely be members of the same genus), as the two species (particularly the females) have a very similar color pattern. The best way to differentiate these species are the shapes of their pronotal crests. In C. dixianus, the crest is much higher and rounded, giving the species a larger look to it. In A. helena, the crest is not as high and instead looks elongated and tapered.
Status: Native
Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Atymna helena No Common Name

Atymna helenaPhoto by: Kelli Ashby
Durham Co.
Comment: At UV light - unid_treehopper		Atymna helenaPhoto by: Kelli Ashby
Durham Co.
Comment: At UV light - unid_treehopper
Atymna helenaPhoto by: Kelli Ashby
Durham Co.
Comment: At UV light; state record