Rhododendron Leafhopper – Graphocephala fennahi
Family Cicadellidae – Leafhoppers / Subfamily: Cicadellinae
Live adult leafhoppers photographed at Allegheny National Forest, Pennsylvania. Size: 9mm
“Sharpshooter” is one common name for the leafhopper subfamily Cicadellinae, which includes Paraulacizes, Oncometopia, Cuerna, Draeculacephala, Graphocephala and many other genera. They get this name from their habit of feeding on the watery sap of xylem tissue, which conducts moisture from the roots up to the leaves. Excess water droplets are forced out the tip of the abdomen with an audible popping noise, propelling the sticky waste products away from where the bugs are feeding.
References
- Bugguide.net, Subfamily Cicadellinae
- Insects of Cedar Creek: Graphocephala coccinea
- USDA, ARS, Systematic Entomology Laboratory, Leafhoppers
- Dr. Jo-Ann Bentz, United States National Arboretum, Management of Insect Pests of Ornamental Trees and Shrubs
Tree Encyclopedia / North American Insects & Spiders
Online since 2002
