LEAF HOPPEES LN~JUEIOUS TO CEEEAL AND EOEAGE CEOPS 15 



DESCRIPTION 



This species is one which is very easity recognized, since it differs 

 definitely from the other leaf hoppers with which it is ordinarily 

 associated. The structural features are shown in Figure 1. The 

 head is of a rather bright yellow or orange-yellow color, with two 

 light spots on the vertex, including ocelli, and the fore wings are light 

 green. Beneath, it is of a pale yellow color, the borders of the 

 abdomen being slightly reddish. The legs also are pale yellow. 



A nymph which was referred to this species was found associated 

 with adults at Raleigh, N. C, in the fall of 1909. This was grayish, 

 with orange patches on the sides of the pronotum; the same form 

 associated with adults of reticulata has been sent from Dallas, Tex.. 

 so the writer feels confident that this is the nymphal form. 



TREATMENT 



Although additional knowledge concerning the place of egg 

 deposition and development of nymphs, and especially as to the 

 number of generations during the year, may furnish a better basis for 

 the recommendation of measures for control, it may very safely be 

 concluded that the injuries to wheat and oats could be very materially 

 lessened by attention to the various grasses growing in the waste 

 land adjacent to cultivated fields. Mowing and even burning over all 

 such areas should very greatly reduce the numbers of this leaf hopper, 

 and if this is attended to before or soon after the appearance of wheat 

 above the ground the attacks on this crop should be largely prevented. 



THE TENDERFOOT LEAF HOPPER 



The tenderfoot leaf hopper, Draeculacephala mollipes (Say). 

 (fig. 2) was described by Say in 1831 as Tettigohia mollipes, among 

 the early descriptions of American insects, and has been a very com- 

 monly observed species ever since. Nevertheless, it seems to have 

 received much less notice from the economic standpoint than it 

 merits. It was mentioned by Fitch in his list of insects in 1851 (6), 

 but without economic discussion; in 1884 Uhler (26, p. 2^9) gave a 

 description and also added that " the salt marshes of the Atlantic 

 States furnish places of shelter for it, where it may be found on 

 weedy grasses in all stages from June to October." " In 1890, Gar- 

 man (9) described it as a corn pest and spoke of it as being abundant 

 in several stages of growth on com on low ground, generally con- 

 cealed in the hollow formed by the partly unfolded blades. It evi- 

 dently occurred in different stages, as he says : " Recently matured 

 females predominated. About half as many males occurred and 

 about the same number of young." This occurred at the time the 

 corn was about 2 feet in height (probably midsummer), as many as 

 20 leaf hoppers being observed on a single plant in some of the fields. 

 The area affected was not large, and the insects were not often found 

 on corn on high ground. He also mentions that the species was 

 affected by an epidemic disease, due to an insect fungus, Empusa 

 grylli. In this connection it may be mentioned that Webster has a 

 record of the occurrence of this fungus on this same species many 



