Immature Keel-Backed Treehopper

bugman

March 2nd, 2007 at 1:00 am

Categories

Aphids, Scale Insects, Leafhoppers, and Tree Hoppers

What Bug is This? He’s black/orange with spikes and armor: I call him stud bug
Hi Bugman,
Here’s one that has me stumped! What bug is this? I’ve searched the internet but to no avail. I’ve attached a picture for you. It’s a social but that usually groups in 3-4 on my tomato plant. They are very quick and are intelligent enough to move away from my line of sight and hide behind the other side of the vine. At first I thought it was a lady bug larva but the pictures I did find didn’t match. Any thoughts? I’m, sorry, WE are located in Redondo Beach, CA. Thank you so much! If there is no name, I still suggest Stud Bug.
Best wishes,
Casey

Hi Casey,
This is an immature Keel-Backed Treehopper. Adults are green and fly. These insects are related to aphids and suck juices from plants. We find very large colonies on the woody stems of our old tomato plants in the winter.

The insect labelled as the “keel-backed leafhopper” is actually an immature membracid (treehopper) in the family Membracidae. Adults tend to look nothing like the nymphs, as they lose all those fine spines and spikes in most cases.
Eric [Eaton]

Thanks for the information Eric. We based that ID on Hogue’s book Insects of the Los Angeles Basin. Hogue identifies the Keelbacked Treehopper, Antianthe expansa, as feeding on solanaceous plants. When I checked Bugguide, the common name of Keeled Tree Hopper is used for the same species where it is listed as being in the family Membracidae. We mistakenly referred to it as a Leafhopper instead of a Treehopper.