Buffalo treehopper
| Stictocephala bisonia | |
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| Stictocephala bisonia | |
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| Species: | S. bisonia
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| Binomial name | |
| Stictocephala bisonia ( Kopp & Yonke)
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Stictocephala bisonia, common name Buffalo Treehopper and sometimes classified as Ceresa bisonia,[1], is a species of treehopper native to North America.
Appearance
Buffalo Treehoppers are a bright green color and have a somewhat triangular shape that helps camouflage them so as to resemble thorns or a twiggy protuberance.[2] It gets its name from the vague resemblance of its profile to that of an American Bison.[3] They grow to 6 to 8 mm (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long and have transparent wings.[4]
Life cycle
S. bisonia mates during the summer months. Males attract females with a song that, unlike similar songs used by cicada and crickets, are outside the sonic range audible to humans. Females lay eggs from July to October using a blade-like ovipositor. Up to a dozen eggs are laid in each slit made by the female.[5]
Nymphs emerge from the eggs the following May or June. The nymphs, which resemble wingless adults but have a more spiny appearance, descend from the trees where they hatched to feed on grasses, weeds, and other non-woody plants.[6]
They molt several times in the following month and a half until they have reached adulthood. At this time they return to the trees to continue their life cycle. [7]
Feeding
Both adult and immature Buffalo Treehoppers feed upon sap using specialized mouthparts suited for this purpose. Black locust, clover, elm, goldenrod, and willow are among their favorite food sources.[8] It is also an occasional pest of fruit trees and is harmful to young orchard trees, especially apples trees. It has become an invasive species in some parts of Europe.[9]
Gallery
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2007 photo of Buffalo Treehopper in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany -
2007 photo of Buffalo Treehopper in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany -
2007 photo of Buffalo Treehopper in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany -
2007 photo of Buffalo Treehopper in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
References
- ^ [1] Buffalo Treehopper article in Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved July 14, 2008, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online
- ^ [2]Buffalo treehopper, Stictocephala bisonia
- ^ [3]Penn State College of Agricultural Science
- ^ [4]Study of Northern Virginia Ecology
- ^ [5] Ecology of the Buffalo Treehopper
- ^ [6] Ecology of the Buffalo Treehopper
- ^ [7] Ecology of the Buffalo Treehopper
- ^ [8] Ecology of the Buffalo Treehopper
- ^ [9] Buffalo Treehopper article in Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved July 14, 2008, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online