Oak Treehopper
Platycotis vittata
Unlike most insects, female Oak Treehoppers exhibit maternal care, actively guarding their clusters of nymphs from predators like wasps and beetles.
- Scientific name
- Platycotis vittata
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Hemiptera › Membracidae › Platycotis
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Deciduous and mixed forests, particularly oak woodlands and suburban areas with mature oak trees.
- Diet
- Phloem sap primarily from Oak trees (Quercus species), though occasionally found on other deciduous trees.
- Range
- North America, United States, Mexico
- Size
- 8 to 13 mm in length
- Lifespan
- Several months to a year
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Deforestation, urbanization, and widespread pesticide application in suburban forestry.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. These tiny insects pose no threat to humans and can be safely observed from any distance. Avoid touching them directly to prevent stress, as they may leap away suddenly. If handled, they do not bite or sting.
Platycotis vittata , the oak treehopper , is a species of treehopper in the family Membracidae, found in North America. The species is also called Platycotis vittatus ....
Photo: Cricket Raspet, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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