Ennya chrysura Fairmaire

Treehoppers of this species are usually found in groups of nymphs, adults, or both. Adult females insert their egg clutches into the plant tissue, and often guard them by actively kicking off egg parasitoids and other natural enemies. It is also common for females to stay with the nymphs. Treehoppers communicate by producing vibrations that can travel through plants, and this is one of the few treehopper species in which substrate-borne communication has been studied. A total of eight signals have been described in adults, and nymphs are also known to vibrate. Adult males and females sing "duets" to find each other and mate. Males have an elaborate courtship song, and perhaps the most exciting finding in this species has been that other males are apparently jamming their competitors. Experimental tests have provided initial evidence for an alarm signal used by females that are guarding eggs close to each other. Watch the video section to observe some of these behaviors and listen to the substrate-borne vibrations of this wonderful treehopper species.

Sexual dimorphism is strong in this species: females are yellow with black bands and spots, males are black with the distal and dorsal spines of the pronotum in yellow. Colors may change with the age of the individuals; females become whitish with age. The pronotum has a dorsal elevation and spine directed upwards.

Treehoppers of this species are usually found on the plant Solanum betaceum (tree tomato) in groups of nymphs, adults, or both. Adults present strong sexual dimorphism: females are almost completely yellow, and males are almost completely black. Adult females insert their egg clutches into the plant tissue, and often guard them by actively kicking off egg parasitoids and other natural enemies. It is also common for females to stay with the nymphs. Treehoppers communicate by producing vibrations that can travel through plants, and this is one of the few treehopper species in which substrate-borne communication has been studied. A total of eight signals have been described in adults, and nymphs are also known to vibrate. Adult males and females sing "duets" to find each other and mate. Males have an elaborate courtship song, and perhaps the most exciting finding in this species has been that other males are apparently jamming their competitors. Experimental tests have provided initial evidence for an alarm signal used by females that are guarding eggs close to each other. Watch the video section to observe some of these behaviors and listen to the substrate-borne vibrations of this wonderful treehopper species.

Colonies of this species are found on the plant Solanum betaceum Cavanilles (Solanaceae), known as tree tomato (in Spanish "tomate de palo"). This plant is native to Los Andes Region and is cultivated in several countries of Central America, southern Brazil, India and New Zealand to produce canned goods and jam.