citrus flatid planthopper

Common and widespread

May to September. One generation per year.

a wide variety of woody species

This is a small, jumping insect.

Adults are 3 ⁄16″ to 5 ⁄16″ long and 1 ⁄16″ to ⅛″ wide at their widest point. The body is flattened laterally. From above they appear wedge-shaped. The color is highly variable, from brown or gray. The wings and body are moderately to densely covered with a mealy, bluish-white, waxy powder.

The forewings are elongated-triangular in shape and are held at rest tent-like, almost vertically, over the body. There are two dark spots on the basal half of each forewing. The anal vein is Y-shaped. There are numerous cross veins between the leading edge of the forewing (costa) and the first longitudinal vein (subcosta). The lower (anal) veins are lumpy or knotty (nodal).

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.

The hind legs are 1½ times as long as the other legs. The fourth segment (tibia) of each hind leg has a 5 to 7 comb-like spines at the tip and two spines on the sides. The last part of the leg (tarsus), corresponding to a foot, has three segments.

The nymphs are flat, white, and densely covered with white, waxy powder. Waxy filaments at the end of the body usually form two appendages, but these may break off.

It feeds on a wide variety of woody species including maple, elm, willow, black locust, dogwood, hawthorn, elder, grape, and raspberry. It has been recorded feeding on more than 200 species of plants. In North America it feeds of 34 genera of native plants in 20 families.

The female inserts a single egg in a preexisting opening in the bark of a host plant. She sometimes excavates an opening in the bark. She will lay up to 100 eggs. The eggs overwinter and hatch in May the following year. The nymphs pass through five stages (instars) and emerge as adults between July and September.

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

Sources: 7, 27, 29, 30.