If you havenโt yet met a treehopper, just imagine yourself playing a game of peek-a-boo with a tiny โunicornโ who has some excellent sidestepping skills.
This was pretty much exactly my experience with the Oak Treehopper (Platycotis vittata)โ(donโt to forget to add in the sound of my excited squees)โwhich was hiding out on the branches of a Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) tree. It wasnโt a huge fan of being photographed, but I was absolutely thrilled to see this species for the first time.
Location: Etowah County, Alabama, US
Date Observed: April 25, 2023
Habitat/host: Prunus serotina, in a mostly coniferous forest, several small Quercus spp. nearby.
