56 CONNECTICUT GEOL. AND NAT. HIST. SURVEY. [Bull. 



Family CICADELLIDAE. 



Jassina Stal. 



Jassoidea Van Duzee. 

 By Dwight Moore DeLong, Ph.D.* 



Meadows and old pastures, especially those of long standing, 

 are ideal places for the development and hibernation of members of 

 this family, and they usually harbor a large number of species, 

 and also are prolific sources of infestation for adjacent agricul- 

 tural crops. A few of the smallest and most abundant species 

 frequent the orchard and cause serious injury to many important 

 fruits. Their attacks are not confined to the pasture and orchard, 

 but one may find them as pests of nurseries, vegetable gardens, 

 forage crops, vineyards, ornamental plants, shrubs and trees. 



Direct injury by leafhoppers is manifested in many ways; most 

 characteristic is the discoloring, drying and shriveling of grasses 

 and foliage, and often the curling or distorting of leaves, as in the 

 case of potato "tip burn." These are results of leafhopper feed- 

 ing, and are caused by puncturing the leaf with the proboscis in 

 order to obtain the plant juices. By this constant drain the plant 

 is often killed or the vitality greatly reduced. 



The blasting of heads of grain is often definitely attributed to 

 certain species of leafhoppers, and the deposition of eggs is a 

 further source of injury, for in many cases these are placed in 

 small incisions made through the outer covering of the leaves, 

 stems or twigs. Indirect injury may also occur, for recently they 

 have been definitely and specifically proven to carry certain 

 fungous and bacterial diseases of plants. 



The number of broods a season will vary with the species, and 

 certain of our common forms produce one or two distinct broods 

 during the summer. The great number spend the winter in the 

 egg stage, and develop during spring and early summer. Others 

 hibernate as nymphs or adults according to the species. 



Bogs, swamps, sand plains, meadows and various types and 

 stages of forests each have a rather well defined group of plants 

 which live under somewhat restricted conditions. Certain species 

 of "Jassids," or groups of species, are quite closely associated with 

 the plant societies which occur in these areas, and the plant dis- 

 tribution seems to control to a large extent the species distribution. 

 The meadow group is by far the most important. Here are found 

 more species of insects because of the great variety and variation 

 in the type of meadows and the large number of factors which 

 combine to produce diversified habitats. 



* The author takes this opportunity to express his appreciation to Prof. 

 J. G. Sanders, who has offered many helpful suggestions and criticisms 

 and through whose kindness it has been possible to prepare this manuscript. 



