LEAF HOPPERS INJURIOUS TO CEREAL AND FORAGE CROPS 



29 



The life cycle of the species is not known in detail, but the nymphs 

 occur very commonly in grassland, meadows, pastures, and sometimes 

 in wheat fields during the latter part of the summer. They are 

 rather flattened and are more or less distinctly irrorate, with minute 

 patches on the head, pronotum. and abdomen. Figure 10, /, repre- 

 sents a nymph taken at Toledo, Ohio, associated with the adults 

 where other species were not present. As such nymphs have in 

 many cases been taken in association with adults of irroratus where 

 the species is abundant and at widely separated localities, there is 

 practically no doubt as to its identity. 



While the species is abundant throughout the Eastern and Central 

 States and, indeed, throughout its entire range, its economic impor- 

 tance is not fully recognized, since it occurs in quite general distribu- 



Figure 10. — The irrorate leaf hopper (Phlepsius irroratus) : a, Adult, X 10 ; b, ver- 

 tex and pronotum ; c, face ; d, female genitalia ; e, male genitalia ; f, nymph, from 

 specimen taken at Toledo, Ohio 



tion and has never been recorded as swarming in any one particular 

 place. It is hardly possible to collect leaf hoppers in any part of the 

 country, especially late in the summer or fall, without finding an 

 abundance of this species, and it is certain that they must cause some 

 injury in the crops which they affect. It is found especially in wheat 

 fields, in clover, alfalfa, and grass, and has evidently a rather wide 

 range of food. 



Since it is so generally distributed, it is not such a simple matter to 

 control it, but it could doubtless be controlled to some extent by the 

 burning of the strips of grassland adjacent to fences, and especially 

 in the South this should serve as a considerable relief from its 

 attacks on winter wheat. 



THE SIX-SPOTTED LEAF HOPPER 



The earliest published record of the six-spotted leaf hopper, Gica- 

 dula 6 -not at a Fall., in North America appears to be that of Forbes 



