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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies (Hemiptera) » True Hoppers (Auchenorrhyncha) » Cicadas, Spittlebugs, Leafhoppers, and Treehoppers (Cicadomorpha) » Leafhoppers and Treehoppers (Membracoidea) » Typical Leafhoppers (Cicadellidae) » Microleafhoppers (Typhlocybinae) » Typhlocybini » Eupteryx » Sage Leafhopper (Eupteryx melissae)

Species Eupteryx melissae - Sage Leafhopper

Hopper with netting pattern - Eupteryx melissae

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)

Suborder Auchenorrhyncha (True Hoppers)

Infraorder Cicadomorpha (Cicadas, Spittlebugs, Leafhoppers, and Treehoppers)

Superfamily Membracoidea (Leafhoppers and Treehoppers)

Family Cicadellidae (Typical Leafhoppers)

Subfamily Typhlocybinae (Microleafhoppers)

Tribe Typhlocybini

Genus Eupteryx

Species melissae (Sage Leafhopper)

Other Common Names

Herb Leafhopper, Tree Mallow Hopper, Chrysanthemum Leafhopper

Explanation of Names

Eupteryx melissae Curtis 1837

Size

3 mm(1)

Identification

Adults whitish green with dark markings; nymphs are creamy white

Range

native to w. Palaearctic, adventive and now widespread in e. & w. NA(2) [found anywhere in the US where herbs are grown(3)]

Season

adults May-Oct (may overwinter) in the UK(1); may remain active throughout the year in sheltered situations

Food

hosts include lavender, mints, oregano, marjoram, rosemary, basil, thyme, sage, lemon balm and Phlomis

Life Cycle

several generations during the summer; usually overwinters as eggs on host plants

Remarks

earliest NA record: CA 1903(4)

Lacewings and Macrolophus prey on nymphs; egg parasitoid wasp Anagrus atomus and nematode Steinernema feltiae that infects nymphs are used for control*

Internet References

Species pages: Bartelt (2011)(3) | *anon. (Protected Herbs) | Dmitriev ()(2) | Bantock & Botting (2010)(1)

Works Cited

1.	Bantock T., Botting J. (2010‒) British Bugs, an online identification guide to UK Hemiptera

2.	Dmitriev D.A. (2003‒) 3I interactive keys and taxonomic databases

3.	Invasive insect database at texasinvasives.org

4.	Short-horned bugs (Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha) introduced to North America

Contributed by john and jane balaban on 22 September, 2007 - 9:35am
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, v belov
Last updated 19 October, 2013 - 10:32am

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