Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

CICADELLIDAE Members:	NC Records
Erasmoneura atra or nigra - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family: CICADELLIDAE

Subfamily: Typhlocybinae

Tribe: Erythroneurini

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist
Description: A dark brown to black hopper with mostly black wings and body with some pale spots. The head has a white midline, while the face is pale. The pronotum has three small white dots on the anterior margin; otherwise, it is entirely dark. In some individuals, there is a prominent heart-shaped or circular "white saddle" on the middle of the wings. Other individuals lack this white spots and have a couple smaller, fainter white patches or lines instead. Both forms have white on the costal margin of the wings and white transverse veins toward the wing tips. Legs are pale. Adults are 2.6-3.1 mm long. (3I) Nymphs are pale with black wing buds, a black final segment of the abdomen, and a mostly black pronotum (with some black extending onto the head).

Distribution in North Carolina

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

Distribution: Primarily eastern and central North America

Abundance: Recorded from several counties in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain where it is fairly uncommon; 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: Has been found in mixed hardwood forest habitat.

Plant Associates: For E. atra: Cercis canadensis, Acer saccharum, Celtis sp., among others (3I)

For E. nigra: Polygonum muehlenbergii, Circaea lutetiana, Ilex decidua, Crataegus mollis, Polygonum virginianum, Aesculus sp., Cercis canadensis, Vitis sp., among others (3I)

Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.

Comment: Both E. atra and E. nigra are extremely similar in coloration and pattern, and both species actually have the same coloration description; see atra and nigra. C. Dietrich and D. Chandler have noted that there are no known clear visual characteristics that separate the two species. There are really only two ways to distinguish between these species. First is dissecting a male specimen and looking at the genitalia. Second is using plant host, as both species largely have different main host plants (with Cercis canadensis, or redbud being the exception). For example, these two specimens reared from Enchanter's Nightshade (Circaea lutetiana) can be identified as E. nigra: 1 & 2. Therefore, any individuals photographed without male dissection or host plant will be placed in this group of "atra or nigra."

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Erasmoneura atra or nigra No Common Name
	Photo by: John Petranka Durham Co. Comment:	Photo by: Randy Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: uv lights - unid_leafhopper
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf, Brian Bockhahn Rockingham Co. Comment: attracted at night with a light	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf, Brian Bockhahn Rockingham Co. Comment: attracted at night with a light
	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Attracted to Light	Photo by: Paul Scharf Warren Co. Comment: Attracted to Light
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Gates Co. Comment:	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Cumberland Co. Comment: attracted at night with a light
	Photo by: R Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: moth sheet.

Erasmoneura atra or nigra - No Common Name

Species Photo Gallery for Erasmoneura atra or nigra No Common Name