Stats

Lifespan

Annual

Size

Small

Diet

Herbivore

Activity

Diurnal

Social

Colony

Biome

Temperate grassland

Range

North America

Movement

Hopping

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Camouflage

Status

Rare

About

This small treehopper lives on goldenrod plants across North America. It secretes a sugary liquid that attracts ants to guard its nymphs from predators.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   egg

   A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3. 3.
   subadult

   A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4. 4.
   adult

   Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

Learn more

• View on iNaturalist →
• Watch on YouTube →

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hemiptera

Family

Membracidae

Genus

Publilia

Species

Publilia modesta