Broad-headed Sharpshooter Oncometopia orbona (Fabricius, 1798)    
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Arthropoda   >   Class Insecta   >   Order Hemiptera   >   Family Cicadellidae   >   Genus Oncometopia   

Status:

The Broad-headed Sharpshooter is a leafhopper. As a group, the sharpshooters are among the largest of the North American leafhoppers. The Broad-headed Sharpshooter is the only common and widespread member of its genus in the eastern U.S., and the only member of its genus known to occur in Maryland. It feeds on plant sap, and these feeding activities can spread plant pathogens.

Adults apparently over-winter (see photos).

There are 565 records in the project database.

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Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Kent Co., Maryland (6/15/2020). (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Judy Gallagher. (MBP list)

Close up of a Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Prince George's Co., Maryland (8/5/2013). Photo by USGS PWRC. (MBP list)

Close up of the head of a Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Prince George's Co., Maryland (8/5/2013). Photo by USGS PWRC. (MBP list)

A female Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Cecil Co., Maryland (7/10/2015). Verified by Ken Wolgemuth/BugGuide. Photo by Shannon Schade. (MBP list)

A Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (6/11/2013). Don notes,'The white wing spots are clumps of wax that the female uses to cover and protect her eggs. She is ready to oviposit.' Photo by Don Haskins. (MBP list)

Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Prince George's Co., Maryland (6/21/2020). (c) Sergei Drovetski, all rights reserved. Photo by Sergei Drovetski. (MBP list)

A Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Baltimore Co., Maryland (9/10/2014). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

A Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Worcester Co., Maryland (6/15/2013). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Montgomery Co., Maryland (4/29/2023). (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Katja Schulz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Montgomery Co., Maryland (9/24/2022). (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Katja Schulz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (3/23/2023). (c) Timothy Reichard, all rights reserved. Photo by Timothy Reichard. (MBP list)

Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/14/2021). (c) Zachary Dankowicz, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Zachary Dankowicz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Worcester Co., Maryland (3/15/2014). Photo by Scott Housten. (MBP list)

A Broad-headed Sharpshooter along the C&O Canal in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/21/2013). Photo by Andy Martin. (MBP list)

Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Montgomery Co., Maryland (4/29/2023). (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Katja Schulz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Howard Co., Maryland (6/18/2013). Photo by Bonnie Ott. (MBP list)

A Broad-headed Sharpshooter found roosting in January in Howard Co., Maryland (1/16/2014). Notes from Bonnie Ott: "In a little group under a log in the leaf litter! It might be commonly known but I have never found them in the winter before. My guess is they hibernate until spring? This little one started to move about as the sun rays hit him. I placed him back with his friends and gently covered them with the log." Photo by Bonnie Ott. (MBP list)

A female Broad-headed Sharpshooter covering her eggs in Prince George's Co., Maryland (6/9/2012). Photo by Barbara Thurlow. (MBP list)

A Broad-headed Sharpshooter nymph in Baltimore Co., Maryland (8/8/2014). Photo by Brandon Woo. (MBP list)

A Broad-headed Sharpshooter nymph in Montgomery Co., Maryland (7/12/2014). Determined by John Schneider/BugGuide. Photo by Max Wilson. (MBP list)

A Broad-headed Sharpshooter nymph at Woodend Nature Sanctuary in Montgomery Co., Maryland (7/14/2015). Photo by Laura Sebastianelli. (MBP list)

A Broad-headed Sharpshooter nymph in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (8/2/2014). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Montgomery Co., Maryland (9/10/2022). (c) maragay, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by maragay via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Calvert Co., Maryland (7/20/2020). (c) dryad-dancing, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by dryad-dancing via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Baltimore Co., Maryland (9/16/2020). (c) moonchild 161, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by moonchild_161 via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/16/2021). (c) Zachary Dankowicz, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Zachary Dankowicz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/21/2020). (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Katja Schulz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A molting Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Montgomery Co., Maryland (7/23/2020). (c) Even Dankowicz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Even Dankowicz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Montgomery Co., Maryland (8/26/2020). (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Katja Schulz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Montgomery Co., Maryland (8/26/2020). (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Katja Schulz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Broad-headed Sharpshooter in Howard Co., Maryland (6/19/2022). (c) solomon hendrix, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Solomon Hendrix. (MBP list)

A Broad-headed Sharpshooter falls prey to a spider in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/21/2020). (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Katja Schulz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)


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