green cone-headed planthopper

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A planthopper is an insect in the superfamily Fulgoroidea that resembles a leaf in its environment. It often hops like a grasshopper for transportation, but it usually walks slowly to avoid detection. There are more than 12,500 described planthopper species worldwide.

Green cone-headed planthopper occurs in the United States east of the Great Plains and in Ontario and Quebec Canada. It was recently introduced into northern Italy. It is common and widespread throughout the eastern United States. In Minnesota it has been recorded just in the Metro Region and south to Rice and Wabasha Counties.

Adults are yellowish-green and about ¼″ (6 mm) long. The body is flattened laterally. From above it appears wedge-shaped.

The top of the head (vertex) is straight, flat, and horizontal. The upper part of the face (frons), corresponding to the forehead, is mostly keeled. When viewed from above the front of the head is pointed. When viewed from the side the face is straight, without a shelf-like step. The compound eyes are yellow or orangish-yellow. The antennae are attached on the sides of the head below the eyes. They are short, bristle-like, and three-segmented. The first segment is small and collar-like.

There are two small black dots between the wing bases.

The forewings are broadly oval and irregularly net-veined. They are held almost vertical when at rest. There is usually no stripe on the inner edge if the forewing. The leading (costal) margin is also net-veined—there are no parallel veins along the margin. Two anal veins meet beyond the middle of the wing to form a Y vein. The margin at the tip is green with brown, dash-like spots. The hindwings are fully developed.

On the hind leg, the fourth segment (tibia) has spines at the tip only, no lateral spines. The last part of the leg (tarsus), corresponding to a foot, has three segments. On the hind leg, the second tarsal segment is minute with a rounded tip and a spine at each side.

The nymph is green and hump-backed.

Total length: ¼″ (6 mm)

It often hops, like a grasshopper, for transportation, but usually walks slowly to avoid detection.

It feeds on a wide variety of woody species and some herbaceous species.

Sources

24, 29, 30, 82, 83.

Widespread and common

Location: Albany, NY

Location: near Houston, MN

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota