page_title: Enchenopa binotata complex
section_title: Vibrational communication
hierarchical_section_title: Enchenopa binotata complex / Biology / Vibrational communication
caption_attribution_description: English: Male signal of E.binotata 'Ptelea' - This contains 2 signals in 1 bout with 2 pulses each signal.
context_page_description: Enchenopa binotata is a complex of multiple species found mostly in Eastern North America, but have also been reported in Central America. They are commonly referred to as treehoppers and are sap-feeding insects. The species in the complex look similar to each other in morphology, but are identified as different species by the host plant they occupy.
context_section_description: Male E. binotata treehoppers make substrate-borne vibrations on the stems, petioles, and leaves of their host plants that travel throughout the plant. Females detect these vibrational signals with specialized structures on their legs and they also respond through the plant. Male signals are more complex than female responses. Male and female signals are tonal, but females respond with grunt-like sounds that are at a lower frequency than the males. Females have specific species preferences, and prefer signals that are close to these conspecific frequencies.  Females duet with the males to help the male locate the females. Substrate-borne vibrations are not unique to treehoppers, most insects (more than 90%) use substrate-borne vibrations to communicate within species and between species. There is a variety of ways insects can produce vibrations to communicate and even more variation in how they utilize vibrational communication (i.e. mating calls, cooperative foraging, or catching prey).
caption: E. binotata male signal that contains 2 signals in 1 bout with 2 pulses each
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