Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

Micrutalis calva (Say) - Honeylocust Treehopper MEMBRACIDAE Members:			NC Records	Public View

synonym

description

A small species with color and pattern variability, with two distinct forms. The dark form has a mostly black pronotum with a pale tip. The light form has a reddish-brown pronotum. Both forms have a pale yellowish face and indistinct wing venation, as well as pale legs with a black base. Adults are 2.6 to 3.3 mm long. (FSCA)

distribution

Eastern and central United States and Canada, and the American Southwest. (FSCA)

abundance

Seasonal distribution: late April-2 November (CTNC)

seasonal_occurrence

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

habitat

Has been found near mixed hardwood forest habitat.

plant associates

Conyza canadensis, Erigeron annuus, Gleditsia triacanthos, Glycine max, Robinia pseudoacacia, Salix nigra, Solidago sp., Vitis rotundifolia, Vitis sp. (CTNC); also from Quercus alba (CTGSMNP)

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).

comments

Can be attracted at night with a light. Where and when this species' host plants have tender growth, M. calva can have multiple generations throughout the year. (FSCA)

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

subgenus

Species Photo Gallery for Micrutalis calva Honeylocust Treehopper
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Rockingham Co. Comment: grassy area near mixed hardwood forest and a pond	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Rockingham Co. Comment: grassy area near mixed hardwood forest and a pond
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Rockingham Co. Comment: grassy area near mixed hardwood forest and a pond	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: open grassy area within mixed hardwood forest habitat; "It is probably a form of M. calva which often has color and/or pattern variability. Since it is a female, positive ID based on the male genitalia can't be attempted." Mark Rothschild
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: open grassy area within mixed hardwood forest habitat; "It is probably a form of M. calva which often has color and/or pattern variability. Since it is a female, positive ID based on the male genitalia can't be attempted." Mark Rothschild	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: open grassy area within mixed hardwood forest habitat; "It is probably a form of M. calva which often has color and/or pattern variability. Since it is a female, positive ID based on the male genitalia can't be attempted." Mark Rothschild
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: open grassy area within mixed hardwood forest habitat; "It is probably a form of M. calva which often has color and/or pattern variability. Since it is a female, positive ID based on the male genitalia can't be attempted." Mark Rothschild	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Avery Co. Comment: brusy, overgrown shrubby area in forest clearing
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Avery Co. Comment: brusy, overgrown shrubby area in forest clearing	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Weedy field near woodland.
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 3 mm, sweep through extensive area of weedy vegetation	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 3 mm, sweep through extensive area of weedy vegetation
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 3 mm, sweep through extensive area of weedy vegetation	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Ashe Co. Comment: ~3.5 mm
	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Ashe Co. Comment: ~3.5 mm	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Ashe Co. Comment: ~3.5 mm
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/81097637	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/81123497
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/81799988	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/83075138
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/83713014	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/87922595
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/87922595	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/87922595
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/87922596	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/88754536
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/88754536	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: 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: unid_treehopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment:	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment:

Species Photo Gallery for Micrutalis calva Honeylocust Treehopper