Bug Identifier
Leafhopper
Community identification

Leafhopper

Family Cicadellidae

Order & Family
Order Hemiptera, Family Cicadellidae
Size
2 to 15 mm (approx. 0.08 to 0.6 inches)
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Gardens, agricultural fields, meadows, and forests, usually found on the underside of plant leaves.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivorous; they use piercing-sucking mouthparts to feed on plant sap from the xylem or phloem.

Behavior Patterns

Known for their ability to jump quickly when disturbed; they undergo incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult). Many species are highly host-specific.

Risks & Benefits

They are considered agricultural pests because they can cause physical damage to plants (stippling or yellowing) and often transmit plant pathogens such as viruses or phytoplasmas.