Leafhopper
(Homoptera: Cicadellidae)

Overview

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Leafhoppers are jumping insects that infest numerous varieties of plant life in Canada. They cause damage by sucking the vascular tissue of plants. There are approximately 1,500 species of leafhoppers in Canada alone, with potato leafhopper being the most abundant one.

Main description

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The adults of most leafhoppers are wedge shaped, pale green with inconspicuous white spots on the head and pronotum (body segment behind the head), and 0.3 cm long. Adults can fly or jump when disturbed. Nymphs and adults readily run backwards, sideways, or forwards to hide from predators or when disturbed.

Scouting

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The Economic Thresholds are determined by counting the wingless nymphs taken from the mid canopy of plants, were they are usually located. Sample 100-175 plants from three to five separated areas of the field. Calculate the average number of nymphs per 10 compound leaves (branch of leaves). The Action Threshold, at which an insecticide application is required to prevent hopper burn and yield loss, is relatively low and corresponds to 1 nymph per every 10 leaves counted.