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Red-banded Leafhopper

Graphocephala coccinea

CommonInsect & Arthropod
Illustration of Red-banded Leafhopper (Graphocephala coccinea)

The Red-banded Leafhopper is one of the most spectacularly colored small insects in North America, with vivid red and blue-green diagonal stripes on its wings. It is common on roses and rhododendrons and is one of the most photographed leafhoppers. It feeds by sucking sap and can vector plant diseases between hosts.

Habitat
Gardens, shrublands, and forest understory
Diet
Adults and nymphs: plant sap from roses, rhododendrons, and other shrubs
How common
Common

Best time to see a Red-banded Leafhopper

The best time to see a Red-banded Leafhopper is May–July, when about 61% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 20,719 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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