Pest profile

Buffalo Treehopper

Ceresa species (buffalo treehoppers) · Hemiptera: Membracidae[2]

Buffalo treehoppers are small triangular sap feeders. The adults do little harm, but egg-laying slits can scar and stunt young twigs.[1]

Green buffalo treehopper with a broad, horned hood over its body, on a leaf
Green buffalo treehopper with a broad, horned hood over its body, on a leaf. (c) Helio Lourencini, some rights reserved (CC BY) — via iNaturalist, CC BY 4.0

How to identify it

  • Adults are brown or green, 2/5 inch long or less, and triangular from above.[1]
  • An enlarged hood behind the head covers the front half of the body, setting treehoppers apart from true bugs.[1]
  • Nymphs are reddish brown with many spines on the back, often in groups on stems, and both stages jump readily.[1]

Look-alikes

Look-alikeHow to tell them apart
Leafhoppers and cicadasThey share rows of spines on the hind legs, but only treehoppers have the large hood over the body.[1]

Where it lives

At least 40 treehopper species live in California; buffalo treehoppers feed on many herbaceous and woody plants.[1]

US map: public records from 46 states since 1990 (GBIF).

Biology and life cycle

Eggs overwinter in slits females cut in the upper side of twigs.[1]

Nymphs hatch in spring and drop to feed on herbaceous plants nearby.[1]

Adults appear in summer and fall and lay the overwintering eggs; there's one generation a year.[1]

Damage and signs

  • Sap feeding usually does no noticeable harm, but honeydew can grow black sooty mold when they're numerous.[1]
  • Egg slits roughen bark and can stunt shoot tips or slow growth of young plants.[1]

Health risk

They feed on plant sap; UC IPM describes no risk to people.[1]

Control

Prevention

Generally no control is needed to protect plant health.[1]

Sanitation

Removing herbaceous weeds lowers nymph survival and future egg-laying damage.[1]

Traps and physical control

On small plants, a forceful spray of water knocks them off.[1]

Pesticides

If twig damage was heavy the season before, dormant-season horticultural oil can kill overwintering eggs.[1]

Common questions

What is the little green horned bug on my tree?
Probably a buffalo treehopper; its hooded, triangular shape is distinctive.[1]
Do treehoppers damage trees?
Feeding rarely matters, but egg slits can roughen and stunt young twigs.[1]

Sources

  1. University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Buffalo Treehopper (Pests in Gardens and Landscapes).” ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/PESTS/buftrehop.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. iNaturalist, “Ceresa taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/120886 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-14. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.