Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

Homalodisca insolita (Walker, 1858) - Johnsongrass Sharpshooter CICADELLIDAE Members:			NC Records	Public View

synonym

Phera insolita

description

A large, slender leafhopper with a very distinct coloration. It has a mostly dark brown to black body with a large, bold yellowish to white band on the side of the abdomen. The head is speckled with small yellowish to whitish spots, and the eyes are bicolored. The legs can have red or yellow bases. The underside of the body is reddish in color. The female pregenital sternite has the caudal margin deeply and narrowly excavated. Adult males are 9.9-10.2 mm long, females are 10.8-11.0 mm. (Pollard, 1965)

The infrequently encountered nymph is pale overall, with a light green abdomen and tan thorax and head. Many stripes and dots run across the body, and the eyes are red with white dashes on the edges.

distribution

A species found throughout the southern U.S., from Texas to the Southeast; ranges as far south as Panama (3i).

abundance

Uncommon, has been recorded from a handful of counties in the mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain. Possibly more abundant in the state in the right habitat.

seasonal_occurrence

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

habitat

Recorded in the state in grassy, brushy habitats such as fields and power-line cuts.

plant associates

Digitaria sanguinalis (crab grass), Panicum dichotimoflorum (fall panicum), Panicum maximum (Guinea grass), Sorghum halepense (Johnsongrass), Prunus persica (peach), Citrus sinensis (orange) (3i). Also reported from Acanthus, Solanum elaeagnifolium (DL)

H. insolita is a vector of phony peach disease virus. (Pollard, 1965)

behavior

This species is a bit of an outlier in the genus Homalodisca and stands apart from the rest of the group, having body features and a general appearance that more closely resemble some members of the genus Phera (with a minority of authors therefore choosing to treat insolita as a member of that genus, though that is outdated taxonomy).

Interestingly, this species was only known from Texas, Arizona, and Mexico prior to 1950. Since then is has spread eastward from Texas. (Pollard, 1965)

comments

status

[Native:] [Introduced:] [Extirpated:]

list_type

[Official:] [Provisional:]

adult_id

Unmistakable and widely known Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens
Identifiable from photos showing undersides, or other specialized views [e.g., legs, face]
Identifiable only by close inspection of structural features or by DNA analysis NULL

nymph_id

Unmistakable and widely known Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants
Identifiable from close inspection of specimens or by DNA analysis
Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood NULL

G_rank

S_rank

rank_comments

tribe

Proconiini

subgenus

Species Photo Gallery for Homalodisca insolita Johnsongrass Sharpshooter
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Wake Co. Comment: grassy, field-type habitat	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Wake Co. Comment: grassy, field-type habitat
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Wake Co. Comment: grassy, field-type habitat	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Wake Co. Comment: grassy, field-type habitat
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf Wake Co. Comment: brushy habitat near mixed hardwood forest; adult and nymph	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf Wake Co. Comment: brushy habitat near mixed hardwood forest; adult and nymph
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf Wake Co. Comment: brushy habitat near mixed hardwood forest; adult and nymph	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf Wake Co. Comment: brushy habitat near mixed hardwood forest; adult and nymph
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Weedy area near a few trees.	Photo by: Randy L Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: The white bumps are a mystery to me? Or could it be another species not shown?
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: sweep through low vegetation	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: sweep through low vegetation
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: sweep of a grassy area within forest	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: sweep of a grassy area within forest
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/47674263	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/47674263
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/47674263	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Caught sweeping in weedy field near woods.
	Photo by: John Petranka Nash Co. Comment: Sweep-netting along the Tar River.	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Caught sweeping along grassy edge of a pond.
	Photo by: Mark Basinger Sampson Co. Comment: Edge of cropfield	Photo by: Mark Basinger Sampson Co. Comment: Edge of cropfield

Species Photo Gallery for Homalodisca insolita Johnsongrass Sharpshooter