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Beginner

Scientific Name: Empoasca fabae (Order: Homoptera, Family: Cicadellidae)

Identification

• Adults and nymphs are bright green, narrow wedge-shaped insects.
• Adults are winged and quickly fly away when disturbed.
• Adults measure about 3 mm in length and on leaves near the shoot tip.
• Nymphs are soft-bodied, whitish- light green and similar in size to aphids.
• Nymphs are found on the leaf underside and move sideways when prodded.
• Feeding damage causes leaves to turn yellow along the edges, beginning at the leaf tip and progressing between the veins to the middle and base of the leaf. Affected leaves curl downwards. New growth may be stunted.
• This insect also affects other crops, such as potatoes, beans and alfalfa.

Often Confused With
Drought Stress
Herbicide Injury
Nutrient Deficiency
Aphids

Period of Activity
The adults over-winter in the southern part of North America and first adults arrive in late May or early June. There are several generations between June and September with the greatest damage occurring during midsummer. Leafhoppers are attracted to other crops and often migrate to raspberry fields after the first cut of hay.

Scouting Notes
Check new growth for yellowing and leaf curl and observe the leaf underside to determine if small green nymphs are present. Primocane fruiting raspberries and new plantings are especially affected by this pest.

Thresholds
None established.

 

Advanced

Scientific Name: Empoasca fabae (Order: Homoptera, Family: Cicadellidae)

Identification
Adults and nymphs are bright green, narrow wedge-shaped insects, found on newer growth near the shoot tip . Adults are winged and quickly fly away when disturbed. Nymphs are soft-bodied and similar in size to aphids. Early instars are 1 mm to 3 mm in length and may be white or yellowish. Older nymphs develop wingpads and are generally bright green. Adults measure about 3 mm in length.

Leafhopper nymphs are found on the leaf underside and have the unique ability to move sideways when prodded.

Adults and larvae feed on plant juices using their piercing-and-sucking mouthparts and inject a toxin that causes "hopper burn". Leaves turn yellow along the edges, beginning at the leaf tip and progressing between the veins to the middle and base of the leaf. Affected leaves curl downwards. New growth may be stunted.

This insect also affects other crops, such as strawberries, potatoes, beans and alfalfa.

Often Confused With

Drought Stress
Leaves will curl and turn yellow similar to drought stress, but plants undergoing drought stress will likely show other symptoms such as wilting, foliar necrosis, and dry and crumbly fruit. Check the underside of leaves for the adults and nymphs to determine whether there is a leafhopper infestation.

Herbicide Injury
Both herbicide injury and leafhoppers may cause yellowing between the veins on new growth. However, leafhopper injury can be distinguished by the leaf curl that accompanies the yellowing, as well as the presence of leafhopper nymphs, or their cast skins on the lower leaf surface. Use spray records to determine the date and timing of herbicides which may have caused injury.

Nutrient Deficiency
Both nutrient deficiency and leafhoppers may cause yellowing between the veins on new growth, but leafhopper injury can de distinguished by the leaf curl that accompanies the yellowing, as well as the presence of leafhopper nymphs, or their cast skins on the lower leaf surface. Use leaf analysis to verify a nutrient deficiency. 

Aphids
Potato leafhopper nymphs resemble aphids in size and colour. Aphids can be identified by the presence of two cornicles on the last abdominal segment. Leafhopper nymphs are narrow and move sideways when prodded.

Biology
The adults over-winter in the southern part of North America and are carried northward on winds associated with storm fronts. As a result, the timing and extent of leafhopper damage in Ontario will vary from year to year. Generally the first adults arrive in late May or early June. The adults insert white, oval-shaped eggs through the lower leaf surface, particularly inside the veins. Nymphs hatch after approximately ten days and feed for about two to three weeks. During this time they pass through 5 instars before turning into adults. There are several generations per year between June and September. Damage is usually greatest during midsummer. Leafhoppers are attracted to alfalfa and soybeans and other legumes. They often migrate to raspberry fields after the first cut of hay.

Period of Activity
The insect is present between June and September with the greatest damage occurring during midsummer.

Scouting Notes
Check new growth for yellowing and leaf curl and observe the leaf underside to determine if small green nymphs are present. Primocane fruiting raspberries and new plantings are especially affected by this pest.

Thresholds
None established.

Management Notes

• Control when damage is evident and leafhopper nymphs are easy to find.
• Insecticides are more effective on nymphs than adults.
• Pay particular attention to new plantings, which can be severely stunted by leafhopper feeding.
• Bloom, especially on primocane fruiting varieties, can interfere with timing of insecticides for leafhoppers.
• If raspberries are planted near alternate hosts of the potato leafhopper, such as alfalfa, infestations may occur more often. Once the alternate host has been mowed down or harvested, leafhopper damage on raspberries may increase.