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Froghoppers (Cercopidae)

Cercopis vulnerata Illiger in Rossi, 1807

Woodwalton Fen TL233839, 15 May 2019 Unmistakeable and one of our largest Auchenorrhyncha Nymphs live in underground roots NBN Atlas

Froghoppers (Aphrophoridae)

Alder Spittlebug Aphrophora alni (Fallén, 1805)

Cambridge, Byron's Pool TL435545, 5 Aug 2014 Larger than the Common Frog-hopper and more constant in pattern Found on a wide variety of trees and shrubs NBN Atlas

Common Frog-hopper Philaenus spumarius (Linnaeus, 1758)

Cambridge, Gwydir Street, 28 & 23 Jun 2001 Two forms of a very variable species The adults of the "cuckoo-spit" nymphs, About 6mm long Very common throughout Britain. NBN Atlas

Leaf hoppers (Cicadellidae)

Subfamily: Cicadelllinae

Cicadella viridis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Shepreth L-Moor TL386474, 22 August 2018. Female (males are dark blue on wings). Large, prominent and swarming in damp conditions. Foodplants include bindweed and bedstraw. NBN Atlas

Evacanthus acuminatus (Fabricius, 1794)

Cambridge, Barnwell East LNR, TL478581. 7 Jul 2015. In grassy places and wayside vegetation, often in woods. Reasonably common, and widespread in southern Britain (northwards to at least Yorkshire), but rarely abundant. NBN Atlas

Subfamily: Idiocerinae

Acericerus heydenii (Kirschbaum, 1868)

Cambridge, Gwydir Street, 19 Feb 2023 Only known in Britain since 2010. Associated with sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus). Scattered throughout England. NBN Atlas

Metidiocerus rutilans (Kirschbaum, 1868)

Cambridge, Gwydir Street, 7 May 2001 Only seen on a garden seat - reported to live on sallows and overwinter on pines There are many similarly shaped species in the genus Idiocerus and its close relatives, many of them greenish. This one has a brown scutellum with a pale tip, and a distinctive pattern of black and white wing veins. Southern, mostly south-eastern. NBN Atlas

Tremulicerus vitreus (Fabricius, 1803)

Cambridge, Sheep's Green, TL447575: 15 July 2021 Locally common on poplars and sometimes sallows. NBN Atlas

Subfamily: Macropsinae

Macropsis scotti Edwards, 1920

Cambridge, Barnwell East LNR. 12 Nov 2020. Feeds on brambles. NBN Atlas

Oncopsis flavicollis (Linnaeus, 1761)

Cambridge, Gwydir Street. 22 May 2021. Similar to O. subangulata but has more markings on the face. Feeds on birch. NBN Atlas

Subfamily: Agalliinae

Agallia consobrina Curtis, 1833

Cambridge, Gwydir Street, 31 Aug 2014 A common species among low plants across Britain. Feeds on grass. NBN Atlas

Subfamily: Aphrodinae

Aphrodes makarovi Zakhvatkin, 1948

Cambridge, Sheeps Green TL447575, 15 Jul 2021 Larger than A. bicinctus and has pale wing veins. The host plants are a range of common species, including dandelions, thistles and nettles. Common throughout Britain to the far north of Scotland. NBN Atlas

Subfamily: Deltocephalinae; Tribe: Deltocephalini

Deltocephalus pulicaris (Fallén, 1806)

Cambridge, Sheeps Green TL447575, 15 Jul 2021 A common species of short grasslands across the UK, normally in drier habitats. NBN Atlas

Subfamily: Deltocephalinae; Tribe: Athysanini

Allygus mixtus (Fabricius, 1794)

Cambridge, Barnwell East LNR TL479582, 11 Jul 2018 Distinguished from A. modestus by the lack of dark diagonal lines on the vertex. Common on deciduous trees, particularly oaks. The nymphs feed on grasses. NBN Atlas

Allygus modestus (Fabricius, 1794)

Cambridge, Barnwell East LNR TL478581, 30 Jun 2022 Distinguished from A. mixtus by the presence of dark diagonal lines on the vertex. Usually on deciduous trees, although the nymphs are often found on grasses. Fairly common in southern England. NBN Atlas

Cicadula quadrinotata (Fabricius, 1794)

Thriplow Meadows TL437468, 15 Sep 2022 Widespread in Britain, mainly in damp grasslands where it is associated with rushes and sedges. Very long antennae. C. persimilis is very similar but prefers drier conditions. NBN Atlas

Conosanus obsoletus (Kirshbaum, 1858)

Cambridge, Barnwell East LNR TL479583, 4 July 2017 Distinctive V-shape of four dark marks on the vertex. Said to be common in damp habitats where rushes are present, although this site is fairly dry. NBN Atlas

Euscelis incisus (Kirshbaum, 1858)

Cambridge, Barnwell East LNR, TL479583, 28 Jul 2015. A very common grassland species throughout most of Britain. NBN Atlas

Graphocraerus ventralis (Fallén, 1806)

Cambridge, Coldhams Common TL474583, 30 May 2017. Distinguished from other pale leafhoppers by the row of 4 black marks across the vertex. On grasses. Local, mostly eastern England. NBN Atlas

Lamprotettix nitidulus (Fabricius, 1794)

Nymph. Cambridge, Barnwell East LNR, TL478581. 7 Jul 2015. Locally common across much of England, Wales and Ireland, usually on trees. NBN Atlas

Mocydia crocea (Herrich-Schaeffer, 1836)

Cambridge, Gwydir Street, 23 Aug 2014 Similar species in genus Mocydiopsis differ in the ways the cells connect near the wingtips Host plants are tall grasses. Throughout England and coastal Wales. NBN Atlas

Mocydiopsis attenuata (Germar, 1821)

Fulbourn Fen, TL527562, 27 Apr 2023 See notes on Mocydia crocea above. The presence of a dark spot in the clavus identifies M. attenuata. Occurs locally in grassy areas, preferring more calcareous habitats. NBN Atlas

Orientus ishidae (Matsumura, 1902)

Cambridge, Gwydir Street, 19 Sep 2014. Apparently the first record for VC29*. Nymph 30 Jul 2015. A Japanese species first found in Europe (Switzerland) 2002 and in England 2011. Many plants can act as host including willows and hornbeam; in Italy and Slovenia it is suspected of being a disease vector on grape-vines. The nymphs, as seen on the right, are quite variable in colour. Mostly in London area. NBN Atlas

Subfamily: Deltocephalinae; Tribe: Opsiini

Japananus hyalinus (Osborn, 1900)

Cambridge, Gwydir Street, 28 Aug 2014 NEW TO BRITAIN. This sighting was the first from the wild received by the Auchenorrhyncha Recording Scheme (the species had previously been found on imported maple stock in garden centres). Native to Eastern Asia, introduced into the USA before 1900 and to Central Europe around 1960, from where it has gradually spread. Its natural food plants are Acer japonicum and A. palmatum: in Europe it has been found on Field Maple, Norway Maple and Sycamore. It is not thought to be a threat to the cultivation of these species (Walczak, Musik & Mokrzycka, 2012; Rapid Pest Risk Analysis, 2014). Thanks to Dr Herbert Nickel of the University of Göttingen for identifying the photo on Flickr I have written this up at greater length as the Japananus hyalinus Homepage and authored a paper which was published in the British Journal of Entomology & Natural History. Scattered records. NBN Atlas

Subfamily: Deltocephalinae; Tribe: Fieberiellini

Fieberiella sp.

Cambridge, Bramblefields LNR, TL472606. 9 Aug 2016. This appears to be the first record of the genus in VC29*. There are two species of this genus which have been found in Britain; F. florii (Stal, 1864) and F. septentrionalis W. Wagner, 1963. F. septentrionalis was first found in Yorkshire and F. florii in London, but they seem now to have overlapping distributions and similar habits. Reliable determination requires dissection. Found on laurels (including bay and privet), and also on a range of Rosaceae.

Synophropsis lauri Horvath, 1897

Cambridge, Gwydir Street, 25 Sep 2014. Apparently the first record for VC29 (or anywhere outside London area)*. A leaf-hopper of south-east European origin, first noted in Britain 2007. Feeds on bay and ivy. Small dark marks along the suture are distinctive. Antennae very long. Quite large for a leaf-hopper at over 6mm. NBN Atlas

Subfamily: Deltocephalinae; Tribe: Macrostelini

Macrosteles variatus (Fallén, 1806)

Cambridge, Perse Girls School Reserve, TL446570. 21 Jun 2016 Prefers nettles (Urtica dioica) but may also feed on other plants. Scattered across central Britain. NBN Atlas

Subfamily: Deltocephalinae; Tribe: Balcluthini

Balclutha punctata (Fabricius, 1775)

Cambridge, Gwydir Street, 30 Aug 2014 Variably marked, the dark marks ranging from bold bands to non-existent, and the base colour varies to green. Normally found on grasses, overwinters on conifers. NBN Atlas

Subfamily: Typhlocybinae; Tribe: Alebrini

Alebra coryli Le Quesne, 1977

Cambridge, Gwydir Street, 26 Jul 2018. Apparently the first record for VC29*. Tentative identification biased by the fact it was found on hazel. The species is very similar to some forms of A. wahlbergi (Boheman, 1845). NBN Atlas

Subfamily: Typhlocybinae; Tribe: Empoascini

Empoasca vitis (Göthe, 1875)

Cambridge, Gwydir Street, 3 Sep 2014 Found on deciduous trees in summer, hibernates on evergreens. Distinguished by the blueish-looking cell that runs obliquely up the forewings. NBN Atlas

Subfamily: Typhlocybinae; Tribe: Typhlocybini

Eupteryx atropunctata (Goeze, 1778)

Cambridge, Gwydir Street, 28 Jul 2014 See comparison notes on next species. Found on potato, mallow and sage. Mostly central to eastern England. NBN Atlas

Eupteryx aurata (Linnaeus, 1758)

Cambridge, Gwydir Street, 13 Aug 2014; 11 Jun 2015 E. atropunctata is very similar, though a more greenish yellow and less strongly marked. aurata has two large dark markings on the pronotum, and may have two small ones at the front, as can just be seen here. In atropunctata the two main markings are narrower. Often found on potato. This species can be a pest by damaging the chlorophyll. Common across southern England. NBN Atlas

Eupteryx decemnotata Rey, 1891

Cambridge, Gwydir Street, 24 & 27 Aug 2014. Apparently the first record for VC29*. Similar to E. melissae (below) and E. thoulessi, but those have a central dark mark on the apex while in this species the dark marks are all in pairs. First noted in Britain in 2002. Like E. melissae it feeds on sage. NBN Atlas (somewhat out of date)

Eupteryx filicum (Newman, 1853)

Cambridge, Gwydir Street, 19 Jun 2016. Apparently the first record for VC29*. This specimen was found on a fern, the distinctive habitat of the species Scattered records from south & midlands. NBN Atlas

Eupteryx florida Ribaut, 1936

Cambridge, Lime Kiln Close TL486561, 23 Sep 2014. Found on a variety of plants in the Labiateae, including dead-nettle and mint - this one was on Black Horehound. NBN Atlas

Eupteryx melissae Curtis, 1837

Cambridge, Gwydir Street, 24 Aug 2014. A 2002 record from this site is apparently the first record for VC29*. Usually found on leaves of sage (Salvia) Also affects other herbs: balm, basil, lavender, mint, marjoram, oregano, rosemary and thyme. Southern and eastern England. NBN Atlas

Eupteryx urticae (Fabricius, 1803)

Cambridge, Mill Road Cemetery TL462583, 31 Aug 2014 Differs from E. cyclops in the triangle on the apex, which in cyclops extends to between the dark dots. In southern areas cyclops prefers damp habitats. On nettles, as its Latin name suggests, and other low vegetation. Across England south of Yorkshire, and Wales. NBN Atlas

Eupteryx vittata (Linnaeus, 1758)

Cambridge, Barnwell East LNR, TL478581. 7 Jul 2015. Found on a wide range of flowering plants, often in meadows and open woods, including Ranunculus, Glechoma, Mentha and Plantago. Found throughout Great Britain. NBN Atlas

Linnavuoriana decempunctata (Fallén, 1806)

Cambridge, Gwydir Street, 26 Apr 2023. Variably pinkish, with three dark spots on each side of the pronotum. The vertex has two large dark spots and there are two dark triangles on the scutellum. Found mostly on birch in the summer, hibernating on conifers, ivy and gorse. NBN Atlas

Ribautiana debilis (Douglas, 1876)

Cambridge, Gwydir Street, 25 Jan 2016. Less than 3.5mm long, smaller then the similarly-marked R. ulmi. A local species on a wide variety of hosts, including brambles, apple, hazel, willow and alder. NBN Atlas

Ribautiana tenerrima (Herrich-Schaeffer, 1834)

Cambridge, Gwydir Street, 21 Sep 2014. Distinguished by the boldness of the diagonal white lines across the wings Feeds on brambles and other plants England and Wales. NBN Atlas

Subfamily: Typhlocybinae; Tribe: Erythroneurini

Zygina flammigera (Geoffroy in Fourcroy, 1785)

Cambridge, Gwydir Street, 19 Sep 2014. Recognised by the brown scutellum and the unshaded area behind (where Z. angusta is shaded) Feeds on a variety of trees and other plants NBN Atlas

Zyginella pulchra Löw 1885

Cambridge, Gwydir Street, 17 Oct 2004. Male. A recent immigrant to the UK, first recorded in Kent in 2001. Only males have the distinctive flag marking. The host plant is typically sycamore. NBN Atlas (few records)

* Claim based on (a) no records on Alan Stewart's 2017 Provisional Distribution Maps, plus (b) no earlier vice-county records in iRecord

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