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A horned treehopper sat on a leaf. It's a brown bug with two horns rising from the pronotum, which also extends back along the body in a wavy spine

Horned treehopper © Tom Hibbert

Horned treehopper

This bizarre bug can be found on plants in woodland rides and clearings.

Scientific name

Centrotus cornutus

When to see

April to August

Species information

Statistics

Length: 10mm
Widespread but local

About

The horned treehopper is one of just two treehoppers found in the UK. They're bugs, related to leafhoppers, frog hoppers and, more distantly, shieldbugs. Horned treehoppers are usually found on plants in woodland rides and clearings. They use their modified mouthparts (known as a rostrum) to suck up plant juices.

How to identify

A small, brown compact and very strange-looking bug. The pronotum (the section of the body behind the head) has two horn-like projections, and extends back over the body in a large, wavy spine.

Distribution

Widespread but patchily distributed in Wales and the southern half of England. Less common and even more patchily distributed in northern England.

Did you know?

The UK's only other species of treehopper is Gargara genistae. It is scarcer than the horned treehopper, lacks the horns and is usually found around broom.