Buffalo treehopper
| Stictocephala bisonia[1] | |
|---|---|
| |
| Stictocephala bisonia | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Suborder: | |
| Family: | |
| Subfamily: | |
| Genus: | |
| Species: | S. bisonia
|
| Binomial name | |
| Stictocephala bisonia (Kopp & Yonke)[1]
| |
Stictocephala bisonia, common name Buffalo Treehopper and sometimes classified as Ceresa bisonia,[2] 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.[1][3] It gets its name from the vague resemblance of its profile to that of an American Bison.[3] They grow to 6 to 8 millimeters (0.24 to 0.31 in) long and have transparent wings.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).
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.[4]
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.[4]
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. [4]
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.[4] It is also an occasional pest of fruit trees and is harmful to young orchard trees, especially apple trees. It has become an invasive species in some parts of Europe.[2]
Gallery
-
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
- ^ a b c d Jackman, John A. (2001-08-10). "Buffalo Treehopper". Texas Cooperative Extension. Texas A&M Entomology Department. Retrieved 2008-07-16.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); More than one of|author=and|last=specified (help) - ^ a b "buffalo treehopper", Encyclopædia Britannica (Online ed.), Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2008, retrieved 2008-07-14
- ^ a b "Buffalo Treehopper". Pennsylvania Tree Fruit Production Guide. Pennsylvania State University, College of Agricultural Sciences. 2008-06-05. Retrieved 2008-07-16.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference
Ecology of BTwas invoked but never defined (see the help page).
=External links
