Species Draeculacephala balli

Draeculacephala balli (Van Duzee, 1915)

♂♂ 4.8-5.5 mm, ♀♀ 6.0-6.7 mm

A very distinct species with two black triangles on the head (postocellar maculae) and two black triangles at the anterior of the scutellum. This species sometimes has a dark dash on the vertex and the dot in the centre of the crown can sometimes be somewhat bold. This species is most often green, but rare blue forms exist as well.

Relatively common in the coastal plain and Piedmont southeastern United States. Less common westward of this region, but present up to Oklahoma.

Grasslands, lawns, etc.

Grasses

This species is most closely related to D. bradleyi.

Rare blue form:

Draeculacephala septemguttata — a similar but not easily mistaken southeastern species which has an additional two spots on edges of the pronotum and a single spot in the middle of the crown. this species is always tan—there are no tan forms of balli

Draeculacephala savannahae — the markings on this species can sometimes be similar to balli, but this species is tan.

Hoppers of North Carolina