UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
| BULLETIN No. 964 A 
'iP? Contribution from the Bureau of Entomolotfv «i 
Contribution from the Bureau of Entomology 
L. O. HOWARD, Chief 
Washington, D. C. 
PROFESSIONAL PAPER 
September 20, 1921 
GARDEN FLEA-HOPPER IN ALFALFA AND ITS 
CONTROL. 
By A. H. Beyer, Scientific Assistant, Cereal and Forage Insect Investigations. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. 
Introduction 1 
Origin and distribution 2 
Synonymy 3 
History of the species and its injuries 3 
Recent injuries 5 
Damage to alfalfa 6 
Host plants 8 
Description 11 
Adult 11 
Egg 14 
Nymph 14 
Life history and habits 17 
Mating 17 
Oviposition 17 
Egg stage and process of hatching 19 
Page. 
Life history and habits— Continued. 
Number and length of instars 20 
Length of life of the adult 20 
Hibernation 20 
Spring appearance and m:mber of genera- 
tions 21 
Feeding habits 21 
Protective habits 22 
Rearing methods 23 
Natural enemies 24 
Remedial and preventive methods 24 
Dusting and spraying tests in the field 24 
Summary 26 
Literature cited 27 
INTRODUCTION. 
Little information has been recorded regarding the biology, habits, 
and control of Halticus citri, known as the garden flea-hopper. Dr. 
F. H. Chittenden was the first to attach to Halticus citri (Ashmead) , 
then known as Halticus uhleri (Giard), the common name, chosen 
because of the insect's injuries to truck crops and its saltatory power. 
In addition to other leguminous plants the insect attacks alfalfa, 
injuring the plant by sucking the juices, and in fields where heavy 
infestation occurs may cause the loss of 50 to 60 per cent of the crop. 
As little was known of the insect outside of its depredations on truck 
crops, observations and life-history studies on the gard ^n flea- 
hopper on alfalfa were conducted during the years 1915, 1916, and 
part of 1917, at Columbia, S. C, and also a series of control experi- 
ments for the purpose of determining the most effective means of 
combating outbreaks of the pest. The bulletin, therefore, gives 
the results accomplished by means of a combination of field and labo- 
ratory experiments. 
48309°— 21 -Bull. 964 1 
