Thorn-Mimic Treehopper vs South American Spittlebug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Thorn-Mimic Treehopper South American Spittlebug
Scientific Name Enchenopa binotata Deois flavopicta
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Membracidae Cercopidae
Size 5-8 mm 8-12 mm
Habitat Hedgerows Grasslands
Diet Wood Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions Eastern North America Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Thorn-Mimic Treehopper

A small treehopper with a hump-shaped pronotum that mimics a plant thorn or bud. It is a complex of cryptic species defined by host plant preferences.

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Did You Know?

It is actually a complex of multiple species that diverged by adapting to different host plants.

South American Spittlebug

A dark brown and yellow spittlebug that is a major pest of tropical pasture grasses in Brazil. Nymphs produce protective frothy spittle masses on grass stems.

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Did You Know?

Outbreaks can damage millions of hectares of Brazilian pasture, causing estimated annual losses of over $2 billion.