Leafhopper (Family Cicadellidae)

InsectInvertebratePlant-feeder

Overview

Leafhoppers (family Cicadellidae) are small, slender, wedge-shaped insects that suck sap from plants. With tens of thousands of described species, it is one of the largest of all insect families, and its members come in an astonishing range of colours and patterns, from drab greens to vivid stripes and spots.

Leafhoppers are true bugs in the same broad group as cicadas, treehoppers, froghoppers, and planthoppers. They are powerful jumpers, springing away with a flick of their spiny hind legs, and they often shuffle sideways around a stem to keep out of sight.

Note: Cicadellidae is a vast family; details here describe leafhoppers broadly.

Habitat & Range

Leafhoppers are found almost everywhere plants grow — grasslands, meadows, forests, wetlands, gardens, and farmland — on every continent except Antarctica. Different species specialise on different host plants, from grasses and herbs to shrubs and trees, and many can be found simply by sweeping a net through vegetation.

Diet

Leafhoppers feed on plants, using needle-like mouthparts to pierce leaves and stems and draw out fluids — many tap the sugary contents of the phloem, while others feed on water-conducting xylem or on leaf cell contents. As they feed, some species excrete sticky, sugary “honeydew.”

Behavior

Leafhoppers are quick and wary. They jump explosively when disturbed and side-step around stems to hide. Many species are remarkable for producing brochosomes — tiny, intricately structured granules that the insect smears over its body as a water-repellent, self-cleaning coating that helps keep it from getting stuck in its own honeydew. Many also communicate through plant-borne vibrations rather than airborne sound. Young leafhoppers (nymphs) resemble wingless versions of the adults.

Human Interaction & Conservation

Leafhoppers are of major importance in agriculture. By feeding on crops and, crucially, by transmitting plant diseases (such as phytoplasmas and various plant viruses) from plant to plant, some species cause significant damage to grains, vegetables, fruit, and ornamentals. Many other leafhoppers are harmless and simply form part of the diverse insect life of grasslands and woodlands.

More photos of the leafhopper