Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
 

Register · Log In
HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar
Upcoming Events

Registration is open for the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2023

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29


Previous events
TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies (Hemiptera) » True Hoppers (Auchenorrhyncha) » Planthoppers (Fulgoromorpha) » Delphacoidea » Delphacid Planthoppers (Delphacidae) » Delphacinae » Delphacini » Laccocera » Laccocera flava
Photo#562109
Strange Hopper - Laccocera flava - male
Copyright © 2011 Aaron Schusteff

Strange Hopper - Laccocera flava - Male
Vermelli Ranch, NW corner of Sierra Valley, Plumas County, California, USA
July 13, 2011
Found in grassy area with lots of forbs (especially Mule's Ears, Wyethia mollis) with surrounding habitat being sagebrush (Artemesia tridentata) scrub on one side, and pond/vernal pool on the other.

I think this is a nymph, but I can't quite tell (i.e. might those be fully grown but truncate black wings?). Has strange antennae, with fleshy bases sticking out side-ways right below the middle of the eyes!

Also seems like it may be a bird-dropping mimic.

I couldn't find anything similar on BG...hope someone can help with ID.

Images of this individual: tag all
Strange Hopper - Laccocera flava - male Strange Hopper - Laccocera flava - male Strange Hopper - Laccocera flava - male Strange Hopper - Laccocera flava - male
tag · login or register to post comments
Contributed by Aaron Schusteff on 13 August, 2011 - 1:21am
Last updated 7 June, 2022 - 1:13am

Moved
Moved from Laccocera.
… Aaron Schusteff, 30 September, 2011 - 12:37am login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from Free-living Hemipterans.
… v belov, 20 September, 2011 - 1:09pm login or register to post comments

Laccocera
A Delphacid (hence, the odd antennae) male with short wings. There are quite a few western species that have males like this; females are less boldly colored.
… Andy Hamilton, 20 September, 2011 - 1:08pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks Andy
Glad you were able to ID this bug...I was very intrigued by it.

I found some references for Laccocera on the web, and added them to the INFO page.

I also just posted four more images of an individual which I think is the same species as in the photos here. It was found about a mile away, two days later. Click the thumb below to see images and remarks of that second sighting:
… Aaron Schusteff, 20 September, 2011 - 11:33pm login or register to post comments

 
Laccocera flava
Thanks to your adding images of the female, I can now give you an identification on the male as well.

Do you have any photos of the male on the host plant, not just sitting on your finger or on cloth?
… Andy Hamilton, 27 September, 2011 - 8:56am login or register to post comments

 
Nice!
Glad to read your comments here (I missed them on the 27th... encountered server problems trying to access BugGuide that evening).

I'll look to see if I have photos of the male on possible host plants. I did key the grass on which the female was photographed, though I'll have to find my notes to recall the species. Hopefully I can get to that this weekend.

Meanwhile I'll make a new guide page for L. flava, and move the images there. Many thanks again, as always.
… Aaron Schusteff, 30 September, 2011 - 12:30am login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… v belov, 13 August, 2011 - 7:21am login or register to post comments

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University logo

Printer Friendly Version 		Terms of Use
Privacy Statement
Site Map
Contact