Bug FAQStirellus bicolor
Stirellus bicolor · Order: Hemiptera · Family: Cicadellidae
Stirellus bicolor is a leafhopper native to North America that feeds on bluestem grasses and broomsedge. In hot summer areas adults are iridescent with bold black stripes, while in cooler places they appear drab with translucent wings.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Adults found in hot summer climates are shiny and have distinct black stripes. In cooler regions the insects look dull and have see-through wings.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives in North America.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It feeds on bluestem grasses and broomsedge.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Stirellus bicolor is native to North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
The two color forms were once thought to be separate species.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 35 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Mississippi, Illinois, Texas, Alabama, North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, Maryland.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What does Stirellus bicolor look like?
In warm summer areas it is iridescent with prominent black stripes; in cooler places it is drab with translucent wings.
Source: Wikipedia
Are there similar species to confuse with Stirellus bicolor?
The two color forms were originally thought to be separate species, but they are the same species.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Cicadellidae)
Red-banded LeafhopperGraphocephala coccineaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Coppery LeafhopperJikradia olitoria
Green LeafhopperCicadella viridis
Glassy-winged SharpshooterHomalodisca vitripennisCan spread germs or disease
Rhododendron LeafhopperGraphocephala fennahiDamages trees, gardens or crops
Japanese LeafhopperOrientus ishidaeCan spread germs or diseaseSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stirellus_bicolor
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.