
Community identification
Leafhopper
Family Cicadellidae
- Order & Family
- Order Hemiptera, Family Cicadellidae
- Size
- 2 to 15 mm (approx. 0.08 to 0.6 inches)
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.