Leafhopper: Eupteryx melissae

17 Monday Aug 2026

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British cicadellidae, British leafhoppers, Cicadellidae, Eupteryx melissae, leafhopper, Sage leafhopper

Amongst the many creatures I found during this weekend’s intensive focus on Common fleabane at two local sites, two species were new to me, which was very exciting. This is the first, the leafhopper Eupteryx melissae, which I’m particularly delighted about as I haven’t found a new leafhopper species for quite a while and, as I’m sure you’ll agree, this one is a stunner.

According to the British Bugs website, there are two Eupteryx species that look very much alike, this one and E. decemnotata. The features to check are the markings on the top of the head, the vertex, and the top of the body, the pronotum. Eupteryx melissae has ‘three large more or less rounded spots on the vertex and six smaller spots along the anterior of the pronotum, with an irregularly-shaped greyish area behind this’, exactly as shown in the photo below.

I was a bit surprised to read that Eupteryx melissae has the common name Sage leafhopper, and is the most common leafhopper found on Sage, as this one was on the underside of a leaf of Common fleabane and there was definitely no Sage growing in the field. The British Bugs website says it also feeds on other members of the mint family, the Labiatae or Lamiaceae – the Wildflower Finder website has a handy list – but I’m struggling to think which of these were in yesterday’s field; there may have been some Selfheal and possibly Hedge woundwort.

Leafhopper: Ribautiana ulmi

21 Monday Jul 2025

Posted by sconzani in insects, leaves, trees

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British leafhoppers, Cicadellidae, leafhoppers on elm trees, leafhoppers on Wych elm, Ribautiana ulmi

I’ve found this tiny leafhopper, between 3.5 and 4mm long, a few times now, and hope to see more this year, as the adults are out and about from May through to November.

The trouble is that, as my eyes are not the best and these hoppers are so small, I find them hard to identify in the field. My solution is to take as many photos as I can of the many small green species of leafhopper I spot, noting their location and which tree species I found them on, then I try to work out what I’ve found when I get home.

Fortunately, the five British Ribautiana species have quite distinctive markings, and this one, Ribautiana ulmi, has three black spots that are unique to the species. You might think from the ‘ulmi’ in its name that this species is only found on Elm / Wych elm trees but it has been recorded on several other trees, which can be confusing. It’s a little cutie though, so keep your eyes peeled if you find yourself staring at leaves in the next few months (though I do realise that I may be the only of us who does that 😉 ).

Leafhopper: Issus coleoptratus

07 Monday Jul 2025

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British cicadellidae, British leafhoppers, Cicadellidae, Issus coleoptratus, leafhopper

A couple of months ago I blogged about a couple of leafhopper nymphs I’d found on the local park railings (Leafhopper: Issus species, 5 May). At the time I was fairly certain these were Issus coleoptratus, and I explained why I’d reached that conclusion but, when I recorded my finds, the national recorder redetermined my records to Issus species.

I’m feeling just a little smug that my earlier conclusion has been vindicated by the fact that I’ve now found an adult Issus coleoptratus just along the railings from where I found the nymphs, and its identity has been verified by the national recorder. Of course, the little leafhopper wanted to run away when I got close to photograph it but then, when I put my hand against the railings to stop it scooting down the other side, rather than hopping away as they usually do, it crawled on to said hand and was very tickly as it wandered around on my skin. It was a delightful encounter with a very handsome little bug.

Leafhopper: Oncopsis alni

27 Tuesday May 2025

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British cicadellidae, British leafhoppers, Cicadellidae, cicadellidae on Alder, leafhoppers on Alder, Oncopsis alni

Oncopsis alni is one of the more chunky leafhoppers and it lives almost exclusively on Alder, hence the alni in its name. As I’ve been strolling along my various local walking routes this Spring, I’ve been checking the Alder trees for signs of leafhoppers, and have seen quite a lot of nymphs of various sizes but, as they’ve been juveniles, I haven’t been certain of their identification.

Now that some of the nymphs are reaching adulthood, it’s possible to be somewhat more certain. Although the Naturespot website warns that this species ‘can only be identified by examination of internal genital structure’, the information on the British Bugs website is a bit more optimistic. For one thing, and with the proviso that bugs don’t always stick to the rules, this is the only member of the Oncopsis genus that is found on Alder. Also, ‘although males can show extensive dark markings on the upper part of the face, the discoidal spots below these are small in both sexes’, and I think I can see this distinguishing feature in my various photos. I should add a disclaimer though: my finds have not yet been verified by the national recorder.

Leafhopper: Mocydia crocea

29 Saturday Mar 2025

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British cicadellidae, British leafhoppers, Cicadellidae, leafhopper, Mocydia crocea

Though I’d seen a few tiny green leafhoppers flitting around Bramble bushes on warm sunny days, this gorgeous little creature is the first leafhopper I’ve managed to get photographs of this year, and, even better, it’s a species I’ve not seen before. This is Mocydia crocea, a stunningly marked hopper which, according to the British Bugs website, can be found ‘amongst grass in many habitats, from woodlands to hay meadows.’ It’s supposed to be widespread but there were just 22 records in the Welsh database before I added this one.

The British Bugs website also warns that this species can be tricky to identify as it is easily confused with two other species but there’s a handy photo showing the features to look for and I’m fairly confident I’ve identified this correctly.

Z is for Zygina flammigera

31 Tuesday Dec 2024

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British cicadellidae, British leafhoppers, Cicadellidae, leafhopper, Zygina flammigera

And so, the end of the year is near and we’ve reached the final letter of this countdown. I have already covered the Cicadellidae, the leafhoppers that have so delighted me this year but, as its name begins with z, I couldn’t resist saving this species, Zygina flammigera, to be the subject of my final blog of 2024. I found two specimens of this new species in late September in riverside Alder trees. I think you’ll agree it is a very attractive little hopper, and I’m certainly hoping to find more of these and, indeed, more new species of hoppers in 2025.

241231 z is for Zygina flammigera

Thank you all for joining me on this year’s journey of discovery and learning and adventures in Nature. I sincerely appreciate your support, your likes and comments, and I’m excited for what the new year will bring.

C is for Cicadellidae

08 Sunday Dec 2024

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British cicadellidae, British leafhoppers, Cicadellidae, leafhopper

What a fabulous year this has been for Cicadellidae, my lovely little leafhopping friends! I may have failed my self-imposed challenge to re-find the species I found ‘new to Wales’ back in 2016 but the search for that elusive leafhopper has led me to find 10 new species, including those shown below and blogged about during the year. Ten may sound like a lot but I’ve still only seen 28 of the c. 300 species of Cicadellidae in Britain and Ireland so I’ve a long way to go yet on my leafhopping journey, which will certainly continue in 2025.

241208 c is for cicadellidae acericerus sp and Populicerus confusus

Of the two species pictured above, the top one was the star in Leafhopper: Acericerus species, 12 September, and the lower one featured in Leafhopper: Populicerus confusus, 7 September.

241208 c is for cicadellidae Eupteryx aurata and kybos sp

Leafhopper: Eupteryx aurata, 19 September, on the left and on the right, Leafhopper: Kybos species, 26 September

241208 c is for cicadellidae rhytidod etcTremulicerus vitreus

And, the two newbies shown above are Leafhopper: Rhytidodus decimusquartus, 24 October at the top, and the lower one is Leafhopper: Tremulicerus vitreus, 6 November.

Leafhopper: Lindbergina aurovittata

04 Wednesday Dec 2024

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British leafhoppers, Cicadellidae, leafhopper, leafhoppers on Bramble, Lindbergina aurovittata

Who would’ve thought that on the second official day of winter (this past Tuesday, 2 December) I would find a new leafhopper? Yet here it is, Lindbergina aurovittata, a species whose adults can be seen between August and November. I guess the mostly mild weather has extended its life cycle a little this year (though some species of leafhopper overwinter as adult bugs, most pass the colder months as eggs or nymphs, according to the website of the Auchenorrhyncha Recording Scheme for Britain & Ireland). I found this particular Lindbergina aurovittata sitting under a leaf on a Bramble hedge along with several other leafhoppers of the Ribautiana tenerrima species.

241204 Lindbergina aurovittata

Leafhopper: Tremulicerus vitreus

06 Wednesday Nov 2024

Posted by sconzani in insects, trees

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British leafhoppers, bugs on Poplar, Cicadellidae, leafhopper, leafhoppers on Poplar, Poplar, Tremulicerus vitreus

The hours I’ve spent fossicking around trees and turning over leaves have really paid off this year. As well as finding lots of new leaf-mining moth species, I’ve also been lucky with my search for new leafhopper species. Here’s the latest: Tremulicerus vitreus (previously known as Idiocerus vitreus). Looking at Aderyn, the Welsh biodiversity database and the NBN Atlas, there’s only been one previous Welsh record, back in 1989, and that’s showing on NBN as unconfirmed, so mine appears to be the first confirmed Welsh record. And I’ve now found around a dozen specimens, in two locations. I get the impression that I’m the only person checking for these creatures!

241106 tremulicerus vitreus (1)

The British Bugs website stresses that leafhoppers in this group are often difficult to identify but, luckily,

there is usually a pale midline on the pronotum and top of the face. Pale marks on the forewings are mostly restricted to the inner margin and the inner parts of some of the long veins….

241106 tremulicerus vitreus (2)

Though the best time to find these stunning little leafhoppers is between June and October on Poplar species, the adults do overwinter, and the females can sometimes be found on conifers during the winter months. Oh, and can you see why a photo of this leafhopper was posted on social media on Halloween, labelled the ‘Dracula bug’?

Leafhopper: Acericerus heydenii

30 Wednesday Oct 2024

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Acericerus heydenii, British cicadellidae, British leafhoppers, Cicadellidae, leafhopper, leafhopper on Sycamore

Today’s little leafhopper appeared when I was turning over leaves of Sycamore trees at Cardiff’s Cathays Cemetery. I initially thought it was Acericerus vittifrons but my record was redetermined to Acericerus heydenii by the national leafhopper recorder when he checked it.

241030 Acericerus heydenii (1)

Acericerus heydenii (previously known as Idiocerus heydenii) is a relatively recent arrival to Britain – it was first spotted in the south of England in 2010, probably having hitched a ride on a ferry across the Channel, or on a train through the Eurotunnel, from somewhere in Europe. Judging by the records on the Welsh national biodiversity database, it took about nine years to make its way across to Wales, where 15 specimens have now been recorded.

241030 Acericerus heydenii (2)

Please excuse the quality of my photos today. The camera I use for all my close-ups, an Olympus TG-5, does not deal well with low light (apparently, a known fault, which I did not know about when I bought it). This fault causes a purple cast in the centre of images, which I’ve tried not very successfully to correct. If you’re interested, you can see excellent images of today’s leafhopper on the True Hoppers of the Western Palearctic website.