Biology Professor Publishes Student-Illustrated Treehopper Field Guide

East Stroudsburg University Professor of Biology Dr. Matthew Wallace recently published an extensive guide to treehoppers illustrated by spring 2025 graduate Adrianna Kaplinski, a dual major in environmental studies and integrated art + design.

Published in April, “The Treehoppers of Pennsylvania and Guide to Common Species of the Eastern United States” is a 135-page identification guide to the 116 treehopper species found in the eastern United States, as well as information on the species’ systematics, biology, ecology and behavior.

The text is a culmination of Wallace’s work as one of the foremost experts on treehoppers, a small, sap-sucking insect commonly found on plants like oak trees. The insects are known for their unique and diverse shapes – used to blend into plant life and to elude predators – and interesting biological traits, qualities that piqued Dr. Wallace’s interest as a young graduate student at North Carolina State University.

“I became fascinated with this group as my career went on,” Dr. Wallace said. “So, it was always my goal to do some type of comprehensive field guide, because there hasn’t been a truly authoritative guide published on these insects in North America.”

Dr. Wallace said he had numerous objectives in developing “The Treehoppers of Pennsylvania and Guide to Common Species of the Eastern United States.” He wanted a guide that identified the species, served as an up-to-date source of where particular treehoppers can be found in each of the state’s 67 counties and throughout the eastern U.S., and summarized their function in nature.

More importantly, he sought to inspire a new generation of treehopper enthusiasts.

“In addition to butterflies and beetles, treehoppers are among the favorite insects of many collectors, but scores of common species elude all but the most dedicated observers of nature due to their small size, their brief period as adults, remarkable camouflage, and morphological complexity,” Dr. Wallace wrote in text’s introduction. “Users of this book should discover an entirely new world of nature to explore, right in their own backyards.”

Dr. Wallace was able to secure funding for the text through the Pennsylvania Academy of Science’s E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Book Endowment Publication Fund. He did the majority of writing while on a year-long sabbatical in 2022.

In developing the guide, Dr. Wallace recruited Kaplinski, whom he had as a student in his General Entomology course during the fall 2024 semester.

Through an independent study coordinated by Darlene Farris-LaBar, professor of art + media + design and department chair, Kaplinski worked with Dr. Wallace on creating nearly a dozen treehopper illustrations for the text, in addition to its cover art.

She began by carefully studying Dr. Wallace’s extensive collection of treehopper samples under a microscope. Using a design app called Procreate, Kaplinski then imported photos of the samples she took under the microscope and began sketching them on her iPad in between classes and during other downtime she had away from her coursework.

“I’d reference the photos next to my sketches to make sure I was getting the general shape correct, in addition to shadows, the face style, and the legs,” Kaplinski said. “It was all very, very detailed and specific.”

Dr. Wallace would meet regularly with Kaplinski to go over the sketches and offer feedback. In all, Kaplinski spent over 36 hours on her designs. The result was exactly what Dr. Wallace was looking for, he said.

“I wanted the text to have that sort-of classic, traditional textbook look to it,” he said. “Adrianna was easy to work with and so talented, and she did an incredible job with that vision.”

Graduating with her illustrations featured in a published work was a major accomplishment – and a welcome surprise – for Kaplinski, who transferred to ESU from a larger school seeking just that type of opportunity.

“It was because of ESU’s community that I was able to get this kind of chance for my career,” she said. “Everyone here really wants to help lift each other up and I’m so grateful I was able to do this.”

With “The Treehoppers of Pennsylvania and Guide to Common Species of the Eastern United States” published, Dr. Wallace said he feels like he has come full circle in his career.

“You’ve got this huge challenge ahead and you’re starting at a point where it feels like you’ve got so much to do, and so to actually see this through and to be able to get Adrianna involved, I just feel so happy and grateful,” he said.

To purchase a copy of “The Treehoppers of Pennsylvania and Guide to Common Species of the Eastern United States”, contact Dr. Wallace at mwallace@esu.edu.

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