Enchenopa binotata complex

Appearance

Nymphs of ''E. binotata'' start out to be ≤1mm with gray and black coloration. Nymphs have 5 instars until they molt into adulthood, which can take 3–4 weeks. As adults, they can range from 7-9mm in size. and have two yellow markings on their back. Their species name is derived from these two markings; ''bi-'', meaning "two", ''-notata'', meaning "to mark." They form thorn-like structures on their head called a pronotum. These treehoppers are true bugs, belonging to the order Hemiptera, which all share a common mouth morphology; sucking mouthparts.

Naming

* American bittersweet ''Celastrus scandens''
⤷  Black haw ''Viburnum prunifolium''
⤷  Black locust ''Robinia pseudoacacia''
⤷  Redbud ''Cercis canadensis''
⤷  Tulip tree ''Liriodendron'' ''tulipifera''
⤷  Shagbark hickory ''Carya ovata''
⤷  Wafer ash/hop tree ''Ptelea trifoliata''
⤷  Black walnut ''Juglans nigra''
⤷  Butternut ''Juglans cinerea''
⤷  Red mulberry ''Morus rubra''

Behavior

Male ''E. binotata'' treehoppers make substrate-borne vibrations on the stems, petioles, and leaves of their host plants that travel throughout the plant. Females detect these vibrational signals with specialized structures on their legs and they also respond through the plant. Male signals are more complex than female responses. Male and female signals are tonal, but females respond with grunt-like sounds that are at a lower frequency than the males. Females have specific species preferences, and prefer signals that are close to these conspecific frequencies. Females duet with the males to help the male locate the females. Substrate-borne vibrations are not unique to treehoppers, most insects use substrate-borne vibrations to communicate within species and between species. There is a variety of ways insects can produce vibrations to communicate and even more variation in how they utilize vibrational communication .Males search for mates by flying from one plant to another. As they land, they produce advertisement signals and wait for females to respond. Different species in this clade are most divergent in the frequency of their mating signals.

Males fly or hop from plant to plant looking for female aggregations. Females only mate once, while males mate multiples times. Soon after a female mates, she would start ovipositing eggs into the stem of the plant. Females have saw-like ovipositors that allow them to cut a slit into the plant stem and deposit her eggs. When the slits are filled up, she covers them with white secretions called egg froths. The egg froth protects the eggs from the elements, biotic and abiotic.

Reproduction

Males search for mates by flying from one plant to another. As they land, they produce advertisement signals and wait for females to respond. Different species in this clade are most divergent in the frequency of their mating signals.

Males fly or hop from plant to plant looking for female aggregations. Females only mate once, while males mate multiples times. Soon after a female mates, she would start ovipositing eggs into the stem of the plant. Females have saw-like ovipositors that allow them to cut a slit into the plant stem and deposit her eggs. When the slits are filled up, she covers them with white secretions called egg froths. The egg froth protects the eggs from the elements, biotic and abiotic.