Hoppers of North Carolina:
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CICADELLIDAE Members: NC Records

Xestocephalus tessellatus - No Common Name



© Brian Bockhahn- side view

© Kyle Kittelberger- note color pattern

© Kyle Kittelberger

© Mark Shields
Taxonomy
Family: CICADELLIDAESubfamily: AphrodinaeTribe: XestocephaliniSynonym: Xestocephalus tesselatus
Taxonomic Author: (Van Duzee, 1894)
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF  iNaturalist                                                                                  
Description: One of the larger members of this genus, being around 4 mm long. A brownish species, it has a high density of fine white spots on the wings, scutellum, pronotum, and head. Osborn, 1928 notes "differs from the other species in being larger and having the light and dark arragned in rather sharply contrasting tesselations." A black spot exists behind the eye, on the edge of the pronotum. The scutellum is pale brown with basal black triangles. (Tennessee 1905).
Distribution in North Carolina
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Distribution: Recorded in the Southeast, west to Texas (Bugguide).
Abundance: Recorded mostly from counties in the Coastal Plain but also has been found in the mountains, probably more abundant in the right habitat (especially in the Coastal Plain).
Seasonal Occurrence
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Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Recorded so far from a lawn near a big swamp and from mixed hardwood forest.
Plant Associates:
Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.
Comment: An "ant guest", it lives as an immature in the tunnels of ant nests where it feeds on the roots of plants. Adults fly around a lot, looking for other ant nests (BG).
Status: Native
Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Xestocephalus tessellatus No Common Name

Photo by: Erich Hofmann
Craven Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/53386742
Photo by: Erich Hofmann
Craven Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/53386742
Photo by: Erich Hofmann
Craven Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/53386742
Photo by: Erich Hofmann
Craven Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/51088370
Photo by: Erich Hofmann
Craven Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/51088370
Photo by: Erich Hofmann
Craven Co.
Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/51088370
Photo by: Brian Bockhahn
Gates Co.
Comment:
Photo by: T. DeSantis
Camden Co.
Comment: DISW
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Cumberland Co.
Comment: attracted at night with a light
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Gates Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Amanda Auxier
Pender Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Amanda Auxier
Pender Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Amanda Auxier
Pender Co.
Comment: Attracted to white CFL porch light in semi-wood residential area.
Photo by: Amanda Auxier
Pender Co.
Comment: Attracted to white CFL porch light in semi-wooded residential area.
Photo by: Amanda Auxier
Pender Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Mark Shields
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Mark Shields
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Bo Sullivan
Pender Co.
Comment: female; photographed by K. Kittelberger
Photo by: Bo Sullivan
Pender Co.
Comment: female; photographed by K. Kittelberger
Photo by: Bo Sullivan
Pender Co.
Comment: female; photographed by K. Kittelberger