red-banded leafhopper

(Graphocephala coccinea)

Conservation Status
red-banded leafhopper
Photo by Alfredo Colon
  IUCN Red List

not listed

 
  NatureServe

not listed

 
  Minnesota

not listed

 
           
           
           
 
Description
 
 

With about 19,500 species described, leafhoppers (Cicadellidae) is by far the largest family of true bugs (Hemiptera). There are about 2,500 leafhopper species in North America. Among the largest and most brightly colorful of these are the subfamily sharpshooters (Cicadellinae). One of the most common of the latter is the red-banded leafhopper. It occurs in the eastern United States and adjacent Canadian provinces. It is found in meadows, woodlands, and gardens on the leaves of a wide variety of plants. Red-banded leafhopper, and several other leafhopper species, are vectors of Pierce’s disease caused by the bacteria Xylella fastidiosa, which causes decline of woody plant species.

Females are ¼ to 5 16 (7.2 to 8.4 mm) long, males a little smaller, ¼ (6.6 to 7.6 mm) long. The body is flattened laterally and tapered. From above they appear wedge-shaped. It is brightly colored with red stripes on a blue, turquoise, or green background (called green below).

The head is angular, pointed, flattened above, and yellow, with a narrow black band on the outer margin. There are two large compound eyes and two tiny simple eyes (ocelli). There are no longitudinal black lines between the eyes. The antennae are short and bristle-like. They are inserted on the head between the eyes.

The exoskeletal plate covering the thorax (pronotum) does not extend over the abdomen. It is green with an yellow submarginal band near the head. A large red spot on each side merges with the submarginal band. The plate between the wing bases (scutellum) is large, triangular, and red or yellow.

There are two pairs of wings, and they are held tent-like, almost vertically over the body when at rest. The forewings (hemelytra) are thickened, are longer than the body, and completely cover the sides of the body. On the female, the ovipositor extends beyond the wing bases. The wings are comprised of a narrow area (clavus) behind the scutellum when the hemelytra are closed; and the remaining, broad, marginal area (corium). They are green with three red stripes, an inner stripe on the clavus and a middle and outer stripe on the clavus. The inner stripe extends along the outer margin of the clavus. When the hemelytra are closed the inner stripes of both hemelytra join to form a deep V. The middle and outer stripes extend from the base to the tip of the corium. They merge at each end creating an enclosed green area. The red stripes are broad and the hemelytra are usually mostly red. There is also a narrow black band around each blunt wingtip. There is no Y-vein in the anal area. The hindwings are thin, membranous, a little shorter than the hemelytra, and concealed beneath the hemelytra.

The legs are yellow. The fourth segment (tibia) of each hind leg has two rows of comb-like spines. The last part of the leg (tarsus), corresponding to a foot, has three segments.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

Male: ¼ (6.6 to 7.6 mm)

Female: ¼ to 5 16 (7.2 to 8.4 mm)

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Meadows, woodlands, and gardens

 
     
 
Biology
 
 

Season

 
 

Late June to early October

 
     
 

Behavior

 
 

Nymphs feed on the underside of leaves.

Adults are agile and can move as fast sideways as forward. They can jump to avoid predators or move to another plant.

 
     
 

Life Cycle

 
 

The female lays eggs in the leaves of host plants. The eggs appear as small swellings or bumps on the leaf. Eggs overwinter and hatch in the spring. Nymphs pass through five stages (instars) before emerging as adults.

 
     
 

Nymph Food

 
 

Same as adult

 
     
 

Adult Food

 
 

Sap of more than 50 species of plants

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

24, 27, 29, 30, 82.

 
  9/21/2022      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
 

Order

Hemiptera (true bugs, hoppers, aphids, and allies)  
 

Suborder

Auchenorrhyncha (true hoppers)  
 

Infraorder

Cicadomorpha (spittlebugs, cicadas, leafhoppers and treehoppers)  
 

Superfamily

Membracoidea (leafhoppers and treehoppers)  
 

Family

Cicadellidae (typical leafhoppers)  
 

Subfamily

Cicadellinae (sharpshooters)  
 

Tribe

Cicadellini  
 

Genus

Graphocephala  
  Section Graphocephala  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

red-banded leafhopper (Graphocephala coccinea coccinea)

red-banded leafhopper (Graphocephala coccinea idonea)

red-banded leafhopper (Graphocephala coccinea quadrivittata)

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

candy-striped leafhopper

red-and-blue leafhopper

red-banded leafhopper

scarlet-and-green leafhopper

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Corium

The thickened basal portion of the front wing that lies between the clavus and the membrane of insects in the family Hemiptera. Plural: coria.

 

Hemelytron

The forewing of true bugs (Order Hemiptera), thickened at the base and membranous at the tip. Plural: hemelytra.

 

Instar

The developmental stage of arthropods between each molt; in insects, the developmental stage of the larvae or nymph.

 

Ocellus

Simple eye; an eye with a single lens. Plural: ocelli.

 

Ovipositor

A tube-like organ near the end of the abdomen of many female insects, used to prepare a place for an egg and to place the egg.

 

Pronotum

The exoskeletal plate on the upper side of the first segment of the thorax of an insect.

 

Scutellum

The exoskeletal plate covering the rearward (posterior) part of the middle segment of the thorax in some insects. In Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and Homoptera, the dorsal, often triangular plate behind the pronotum and between the bases of the front wings. In Diptera, the exoskeletal plate between the abdomen and the thorax.

 

Tarsus

On insects, the last two to five subdivisions of the leg, attached to the tibia; the foot. On spiders, the last segment of the leg. Plural: tarsi.

 

Tibia

The fourth segment of an insect leg, after the femur and before the tarsus (foot).

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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Jaclyn B.

 
 

on a dahlia leaf

 
    red-banded leafhopper      
 

Alfredo Colon

 
    red-banded leafhopper      
           
    red-banded leafhopper   red-banded leafhopper  
           
    red-banded leafhopper   red-banded leafhopper  
           
    red-banded leafhopper   red-banded leafhopper  
 

Deb

 
    red-banded leafhopper      
 

Tami

 
    red-banded leafhopper      
 

Scott Bemman

 
    red-banded leafhopper      
 

Troy

 
    red-banded leafhopper      
 

C Wysocki

 
 

On swamp milkweed

 
    red-banded leafhopper      
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

 

 
           

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
  Red banded leafhopper Graphocephala coccinea
Bruce Brethauer
 
  Red banded leafhopper Graphocephala coccinea  

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
  Red-banded Leafhoppers (Cicadellidae: Graphocephala coccinea) Making Honeydew
Carl Barrentine
 
   
 
About

Published on Jul 6, 2010

Photographed at the Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (06 July 2010).

 
  Candy-Striped Leafhopper (Graphocephala coccinea)
Give it a Grow
 
   
 
About

Published on Sep 8, 2017

The Candy-Striped Leafhopper (Graphocephala coccinea) has bright Red and Blue stripes with a Yellow head and legs.

Music: Hyperfun by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Source: https://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1400038

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

 
  Red-banded Leafhopper - Graphocephala coccinea
Myk63
 
   
 
About

Published on Sep 11, 2010

I don't understand the coloring for survival around here.

I left the background noise because I learned my nephew does the same thing to my sister so I feel a rant coming on. If I rant you will know what it's about.

 
  graphocephala coccinea
My Insect Videos
 
   
 
About

Published on Jul 21, 2018

 
  Red-banded Leafhoppers (Cicadellidae: Graphocephala coccinea) Feeding
Carl Barrentine
 
   
 
About

Published on Jul 6, 2010

"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." --John Muir Photographed at the Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (06 July 2010).

 

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this insect.

 
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Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.
 
  Jaclyn B.
7/10/2023

Location: Moorhead, MN

on a dahlia leaf

red-banded leafhopper  
  Alfredo Colon
8/20/2022

Location: Albany, NY

red-banded leafhopper  
  Alfredo Colon
8/2/2022

Location: Albany, NY

red-banded leafhopper  
  Deb
7/11/2021

Location: Side Lake, MN

red-banded leafhopper  
  Tami
7/4/2021

Location: Stratford CT

red-banded leafhopper  
  Scott Bemman
7/26/2020

Location: Scenic State Park

red-banded leafhopper  
  Troy
7/10/2020

Location: Circle Pines, MN

red-banded leafhopper  
  Alfredo Colon
8/7/2019

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

red-banded leafhopper  
  C Wysocki
7/10/2019

Location: Plymouth, MN

On swamp milkweed

red-banded leafhopper  
  Alfredo Colon
8/20/2018

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

red-banded leafhopper  
  Alfredo Colon
6/10/2018

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

red-banded leafhopper  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

 

 

 

 

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