Subject: Treehopper
Location: Central France
October 13, 2013 6:57 am
I took this photo on my terrace in September 2009 and have never known what the bug is. A friend narrowed it down to a tree hopper, but after looking through masses of photos on the web, I cannot find another one like it. Any suggestions? The bug is approximately 2cm in length.
Signature: Jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline,
We aren’t fully convinced that this is a Treehopper. It might be a Leafhopper of some other free-living Hemipteran. We will attempt to research its identity for you. Upon searching some more, we found a photo by Melvyn Yeo on Deviant Art that is only identified as a Flat Headed Leafhopper, and it looks very much like your creature, however, there is no scientific name nor is there a location indicated.
Correction Courtesy of Karl
Hi Daniel and Jacqueline:
Your true bug is the rather atypical Leafhopper (Cicadellidae: Ledrinae), Ledra aurita. The common names include Horned Leafhopper, Eared Leafhopper and Grand Diable (in French). Apparently they are most commonly associated with oak trees. Regards. Karl
Hi Bugman! I’m lucky enough to get to look at Auchenorrhyncha all day at work, and though I’m hardly an expert, I would hazard a guess that this is in the family Aetalionidae. They’re set apart from Cicadellidae by having a pronotal appendage and hairy legs rather than spiny ones, and from Membracids in that their pronotum extends only part of the way down the back. It would be an easier call with a ventral shot as well. This little guy is simply stunning though! I haven’t seen one quite like it before!
Thanks for your informed comment.