About Cercopis sanguinolenta (Scopoli, 1763)
Cercopis sanguinolenta adults reach a body length of 6–11 millimetres (0.24–0.43 in), with males growing larger than females. These froghoppers are shining black, with distinct bright red markings on their elytra: one spot at the base, one spot in the middle, and a stripe at the apex. In dorsal view, their bodies are elongated and ovoid. Their head is much narrower than the pronotum, and all legs are completely black. Very rarely, the red markings may be reduced or entirely absent, resulting in specimens that are almost completely black. Right after adults emerge from the nymphal exuvia, their markings are pink or whitish rather than blood-red. This species is very similar to Cercopis vulnerata, but differs in that its red markings are smaller, and its rear red stripe is only slightly curved, while the corresponding stripe on Cercopis vulnerata is U-shaped. Cercopis sanguinolenta also has a small number of black spots on the ventral plates of the connexivum, the lateral border of the abdomen. This species is mainly distributed across southern Europe, extending as far east as the Caucasus and the Near East. These froghoppers live in dry, sunny slopes and herbaceous, plant-rich clearings.
