# Keeled Treehopper (*Entylia carinata*) The Keeled Treehopper is a small, colorful insect that loves to jump around on plants. Its unique shape helps it blend in with leaves, making it hard to spot! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 11 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Keeled Treehopper](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Entylia_carinata_P1540587a.jpg&width=800) Photo: xpda, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Entylia_carinata_P1540587a.jpg) ## Appearance The Keeled Treehopper has a distinctive, helmet-like pronotum that extends over its head and body, often featuring a prominent, jagged crest or keel. Its body is typically mottled brown, black, or greenish, providing excellent camouflage against plant stems. This unique shape makes it look like a thorn or a piece of debris. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hemiptera - **Family:** Membracidae - **Genus:** Entylia ## Interesting facts - Many treehopper babies get protection from ants, who love their sweet, sugary honeydew! - The Keeled Treehopper's spiky "helmet" is actually an overgrown part of its thorax! - These insects are related to cicadas and leafhoppers, sharing a sap-sucking lifestyle! - They have special padded feet that help them grip plants, even when it's windy! ## Special abilities - **Thorny Disguise:** Keeled Treehopper has a thorn-like body shape and mottled coloration that helps them hide from predators by blending perfectly with plant stems. - **Secret Vibrations:** Keeled Treehopper can send and receive secret messages through plant stems using vibrations, which helps them find mates and warn others of danger. - **Super Jumper:** Keeled Treehopper can make powerful leaps with its strong hind legs, allowing them to escape quickly when threatened by predators. - **Plant Sapper:** Keeled Treehopper can access plant sap with its specialized piercing-sucking mouthparts, which helps them get all the nutrients they need. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 7-10 mm - **Size:** 4-7 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-60 days - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding They drink sugary sap from plants using their straw-like mouths. - **Primary Foods:** oak sap, maple sap, ash sap, clover sap, goldenrod sap ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Eastern Bluebird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-bluebird) (*Sialia sialis*) — Birds often prey on treehoppers for a quick, nutritious meal. - **Eaten by:** European Garden Spider (*Araneus diadematus*) — Spiders capture Keeled Treehoppers in their webs or by ambush. - **Symbiotic with:** Common Black Ant (*Formica subsericea*) — Ants protect treehopper nymphs from predators in exchange for honeydew. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low It's best to watch insects from a distance and not touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Keeled Treehopper? Look for six legs, antennae, three body sections and the shape of the wings. Beetles have hardened front wings; flies have just one working pair. Tiny insects may need a close view before their group is clear. Insect Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Keeled Treehopper's wingspan? 7-10 mm ### How big is Keeled Treehopper? 4-7 mm ### How long does Keeled Treehopper live? 30-60 days ### What does Keeled Treehopper eat? They drink sugary sap from plants using their straw-like mouths. ### Where is Keeled Treehopper usually found? Forests ### How many legs does Keeled Treehopper have? 6 ## Where to spot - [Brookside Reservation](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brookside-reservation) — Ohio, US · Park - [Connecticut College Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/connecticut-college-arboretum) — Connecticut, US · Botanical Garden - [Davisville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/davisville-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/drumlin-farm-wildlife-sanctuary) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Historic Moravian Bethlehem Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/historic-moravian-bethlehem-historic-district) — Pennsylvania, US · Historic District - [Village of Monroe Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/village-of-monroe-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District [View all places to see Keeled Treehopper](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/keeled-treehopper) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Keeled Treehopper: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/keeled-treehopper)