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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies (Hemiptera) » Free-living Hemipterans (Auchenorrhyncha) » Planthoppers (Fulgoroidea) » Flatid Planthoppers (Flatidae) » Flatinae » Nephesini » Metcalfa » Citrus Flatid Planthopper (Metcalfa pruinosa)

Species Metcalfa pruinosa - Citrus Flatid Planthopper

Classification · Other Common Names · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Food · Remarks · Internet References · Works Cited
Flatid Planthopper - Metcalfa pruinosa Pruinose Treehopper with nymphs - Metcalfa pruinosa Blue Tinted Planthopper - Metcalfa pruinosa Aphid ? - 2 - Metcalfa pruinosa Metcalfa pruinosa Citrus Flatid Planthopper nymph - Metcalfa pruinosa Metcalfa pruinosa Flatid on wild senna - Metcalfa pruinosa
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)
Suborder Auchenorrhyncha (Free-living Hemipterans)
Superfamily Fulgoroidea (Planthoppers)
Family Flatidae (Flatid Planthoppers)
Subfamily Flatinae
Tribe Nephesini
Genus Metcalfa
Species pruinosa (Citrus Flatid Planthopper)
Other Common Names
Floury Mothbug (Dr Hamilton's comment)
Explanation of Names
Common name comes from the fact that it is often seen on Citrus, but also a wide range of other host plants.
Size
adults 5.5-8mm
Identification
Grey to brown depending on how much floury coating is present. Two dark spots (and often more) near the base of the wing are characteristic.

Nymphs are mainly white with tail ends covered with waxy filaments. These typically form two "tails", but may cover the entire body and surrounding plant surfaces with fluff.
Range
se. Canada to Mexico and West Indies; Europe(1) (adventive; first recorded in ne. Italy in 1979, widely spread since)(2)
Food
"Feeds on just about anything green" (Dr Hamilton)
Remarks
Rarely does any significant damage to commercial crops, since natural predators are sufficient to keep populations in check, except on plants previously weakened by other stress (such as frost).
Internet References
Fact sheet
Works Cited
1.3I Interactive Keys and Taxonomic Databases, by D.A. Dmitriev
2.Alien terrestrial arthropods of Europe
By A. Roques et al., eds
Contributed by john and jane balaban on 23 September, 2004 - 10:04pm
Additional contributions by Hannah Nendick-Mason, Beatriz Moisset, Graham M, ceiseman, v belov
Last updated 1 January, 2012 - 8:02pm

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