Balcanocerus fitchi

Appearance

This species has a couple prominent whitish and blackish marks on the costa of the wings, thin whitish streaks on the costa with a hook facing inwards near the commissure. The vertex is yellow with two large black spots; the pronotum is yellow to orange-brown with large spots of yellow-brown and irregular brownish-black spots along the anterior margin, and there can be a yellowish midline. The scutellum is yellowish-orange with brownish lateral triangles. The male subgenital plates are long and narrow, rounded at the apex. The female pregenital sternite has an evenly produced posterior margin, lacking any median emargination. Adult males are 5.4-5.8 mm long, females are 5.7-6.2 mm.

Naming

Balcanocerus fitchi (Van Duzee, 1909)
Idiocerus fitchi Van Duzee 1909
Idiocerus maculipennis Fitch, 1851

Distribution

Largely a northeastern North American species, previously known as far south as Virginia and now known from North Carolina.

Behavior

Can be attracted at night with a light.

Food

Feeds mainly on Rosaceae: on hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) and crab apple (Malus), occasionally on apple or pear and has been reported from elm.