Hoppers of North Carolina:
Spittlebugs, Leafhoppers, Treehoppers, and Planthoppers
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CLASTOPTERIDAE Members: NC Records

Clastoptera octonotata - No Common Name


© Kyle Kittelberger- side view
© Kyle Kittelberger- top view
© Kyle Kittelberger- note dots on head
© Mark Shields
Taxonomy
Family: CLASTOPTERIDAE
Taxonomic Author: Hamilton
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF  iNaturalist                                                                                  
Description: This colorful species has 8 brown spots, 4 on the head and 4 on the anterior border of the pronotum (BG). This species typically has a reddish body with black markings, though sometimes individuals have wings that lack much of the red color and are instead blackish. There is a bold, jagged white line across the middle of the back that forms an "M" when viewed from above. The scutellum is tan to reddish in color, and the head is whitish with a pale, concolorous face. There is also a bold, dark red line across the white pronotum. Legs are a dark red color.

This species creates elongated, dense spittle masses on the host plant. Young nymphs are pale, with a whitish abdomen and thorax and a yellowish head. There is some yellowish and reddish-pink tinting to the abdomen. Older instars have blackish sides to the thorax and head and blackish wing buds, contrasting with the whitish body.

Distribution in North Carolina
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Distribution: Found in the Southeast, west to eastern Texas (BG).
Abundance: This species has been recorded from several counties in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain, though possibly more abundant in the right habitat.
Seasonal Occurrence
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: This species has been recorded in the state from open, mixed hardwood forest.
Plant Associates: Muscadine grapevine - Vitis rotundifolia (BG)
Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.
Comment: This species most closely resembles C. obtusa and C. arborina. Both of these species always have 2 solid dark lines across the front margin of the pronotum, not spots (BG). This species was only recently described to science in 2015.
Status: Native
Global and State Rank:
See also Habitat Account for General Vitaceous Tangles

Species Photo Gallery for Clastoptera octonotata No Common Name

Photo by: Cindy Darnell
Durham Co.
Comment: observed on host other than Vitis rotundifolia.		Photo by: Cindy Darnell
Durham Co.
Comment: observed on host other than Vitis rotundifolia.
Photo by: Cindy Darnell
Durham Co.
Comment: observed on host other than Vitis rotundifolia.		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Forsyth Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Forsyth Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Forsyth Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Cindy Darnell
Durham Co.
Comment: Two adjacent spittle nests had a total of 21 nymphs of various sizes.		Photo by: Cindy Darnell
Durham Co.
Comment: Two adjacent spittle nests had a total of 21 nymphs of various sizes.
Photo by: Cindy Darnell
Durham Co.
Comment: Two adjacent spittle nests had a total of 21 nymphs of various sizes.		Photo by: Cindy Darnell
Durham Co.
Comment: Two adjacent spittle nests had a total of 21 nymphs of various sizes.
Photo by: Cindy Darnell
Durham Co.
Comment: Two adjacent spittle nests had a total of 21 nymphs of various sizes.		Photo by: Cindy Darnell
Durham Co.
Comment: Adult spittlebug guarding (?) spittle nest with two nymphs inside. Spittle was very viscous and sticky.
Photo by: Cindy Darnell
Durham Co.
Comment: Adult spittlebug guarding (?) spittle nest with two nymphs inside. Spittle was very viscous and sticky. 		Photo by: Cindy Darnell
Durham Co.
Comment: Adult spittlebug guarding (?) spittle nest with two nymphs inside. Spittle was very viscous and sticky.
Photo by: Cindy Darnell
Durham Co.
Comment: Adult spittlebug guarding (?) spittle nest with two nymphs inside. 		Photo by: Cindy Darnell
Durham Co.
Comment: Adult spittlebug guarding (?) spittle nest with two nymphs inside.
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Randolph Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Randolph Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Mark Shields
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Mark Shields
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Randy Emmitt
Orange Co.
Comment: uv light - unid_spittlebug		Photo by: Randy Emmitt
Orange Co.
Comment: uv light - unid_spittlebug
Photo by: Randy Emmitt
Orange Co.
Comment: uv light - unid_spittlebug		Photo by: Randy Emmitt
Orange Co.
Comment: with Pecan Spittlebugs on sheet. Same size.
Photo by: Randy Emmitt
Orange Co.
Comment: with Pecan Spittlebugs on sheet. Same size.		Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: mixed hardwood, open forest near lake edge
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: mixed hardwood, open forest near lake edge		Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: mixed hardwood, open forest near lake edge
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: mixed hardwood, open forest near lake edge		Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Attracted to light
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping