Agalmatium flavescens

Agalmatium flavescens is a species of planthopper belonging to the family Issidae, subfamily Issinae.

Distribution
This species is present in Albania, Armenia, Austria, Bulgaria, France, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Moldova, Montenegro, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain and Turkey.

Description
Agalmatium flavescens can reach a body length of approximately 4.5 - 5 mm in males, of 5.3 - 6 mm in females. These planthoppers are characterized by a rather variable coloration. There are light specimens with a straw coloration, and light brownish specimens, with dark brown markings. The border of the forewings is always yellowish. Apical tube in males shows apically two distinct lobes.

Like all species of the genus, the first segment of hind legs (metatarsomere) has only two intermediate spines apically. In the upper part of the forehead the horizontal transverse carinae are missing. The shape of the body is compact, the head is short and wide. Wings are rather developed, elytra are quite short. Legs are short and strong.

Biology
This species is bivoltine, with two generations per year. Adults can be found from May to July and from Septembre to November.

Recorded food plants are Ficus carica, Medicago sativa, Olea europea, Pinus species, Populus species, Prunus amygdalus and Tamarix species.

It has been reported a trophobiotic association between this planthopper species and a species of ant (Camponotus aethiops), with honeydew drops directly collected by ants from the anal openings of these issids.