Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

CICADELLIDAE Members:	NC Records
Agallia lingulata - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family: CICADELLIDAE

Subfamily: Megophthalminae

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist
Description: A small and robust species with a characteristic pattern, males can be up to 3.5 mm long while females can range up to 3.75 mm. This is a variable species, ranging in color from light brown to a quite dark blackish/fuscous color, with males much darker than females. There is a pair of large black spots on the anterior margin of the vertex (front of the head) that are surrounded by a pale ring, and a distinctive and characteristic pair of large black spots on the top of the pronotum; these pronotal spots are also surrounded by a contrasting pale ring. The elytra is smoky and the wing venation is pale to dark (dark in dark specimens). The vertex is almost uniform in length and width, and the pronotum is about 2.5 times wider than long. The pregenital sternite on females is very broad and truncate, with a thin median process extending downwards. Male plates are nearly triangular with the lateral margins slightly concave. (Oman 1933)

Distribution in North Carolina

County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.

Distribution: Eastern United States; Atlantic Coast states

Abundance: Known currently from a couple counties in the Piedmont. Possibly more abundant in the state in grassy habitat.

Seasonal Occurrence

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

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Grassy areas

Plant Associates: Festuca lawn grass, clover, other weeds

Behavior:

Comment: This species is smaller than A. quadripunctata, more similar to A. deleta. In A. deleta, some individuals (most likely males) can be quite dark. However, deleta lacks the black pronotal spots surrounded by pale rings that are found in A. lingulata; instead, deleta is largely uniform in color and pattern.

Until a specimen is obtained, the records on here should be treated as somewhat tentative, since A. lingulata is an infrequently encountered species.

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Agallia lingulata No Common Name
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/74688727	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/73538010
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/73538010	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/73538010
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28376540	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28376540
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28376540	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: lawn
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: lawn	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: lawn
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: lawn	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: lawn

Agallia lingulata - No Common Name

Species Photo Gallery for Agallia lingulata No Common Name