About Metcalfa pruinosa (Say, 1830)
Adults of Metcalfa pruinosa reach a body length of 5.5–8 millimetres (7⁄32–5⁄16 in) and a width of 2–3 millimetres (5⁄64–1⁄8 in) at their widest point. When they first reach adulthood, they are whitish. Adult body color ranges from brown to gray, which is related to the presence of bluish-white epicuticular wax; this wax particularly covers the species' nymphs. The large, prominent compound eyes of Metcalfa pruinosa are yellow. Its mouthparts are adapted for piercing and sucking. When the insect is at rest, it holds its trapezoidal forewings vertically, wrapping them around its body. The forewings have a veined costal cell and several distinct whitish spots. In addition to spines at the apex, the hind tibiae usually have two lateral spines. Nymphs of this species reach a length of about 3.2 millimetres (1⁄8 in). Nymph body color ranges from whitish to light green, and they have relatively large tufts of white wax on their abdomen. This species is native to North America (the Nearctic realm), but is currently found across Europe including Austria, Britain, France, Spain, Italy, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia, Poland, Switzerland, and Moldova, as well as in the Neotropical realm and in South Korea.
