Horned Treehopper

The adult males reach 7–10 millimetres (0.28–0.39 in) in length, while females are slightly larger. The basic colouration of the stocky body is dark-brown. The large protruding eyes are round and reddish-brown to red. The pronotum is hairy, arched up and pulled back in a long, wave-shaped extension above the wings, with two sharp, ear-shaped lateral protrusions (hence the Latin name cornutus, meaning "horned"). The legs are very short. The front wings are pale brown and translucent, with evident brown veins. The bizarre horn-like extensions of the pronotum apparently help the camouflage. As a matter of fact, when this insect is at rest on a branch with the legs retracted, it looks like a part of the branch itself. This species is rather similar to Gargara genistae, the second UK species of treehoppers, that lacks the horn-like protrusions, has a shorter extension above the wings and it is associated with broom.

This species is present in most of Europe, in the eastern Palearctic realm and in the Near East. It is one of only two UK treehoppers.