Leafhopper

Natural Habitat

Widely distributed in various terrestrial habitats, including grasslands, forests, agricultural fields, gardens, and urban green spaces. They are found wherever suitable host plants are present.

Diet & Feeding

Plant sap. They use their piercing-sucking mouthparts to extract sap from the phloem and xylem of various plants, including agricultural crops, ornamental plants, and wild vegetation.

Behavior Patterns

Leafhoppers are active sap-feeders, often found on the undersides of leaves. They are known for their jumping ability, especially when disturbed. Many species are migratory. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis, with nymphs resembling smaller, wingless versions of adults.

Risks & Benefits

Risks: Many species are significant agricultural pests, causing direct damage to plants by feeding and indirect damage by transmitting plant pathogens (viruses, bacteria, phytoplasmas). Benefits: Some species serve as a food source for natural predators (birds, spiders, other insects), contributing to the food web. In certain ecosystems, they can play a role in nutrient cycling through their feeding activities.

Identified on: 8/9/2025