A leafhopper on a leaf

Leafhopper

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine

Published: Saturday, 2 March 2019 at 3:00 pm

Leafhoppers cause unsightly marks on foliage - learn how to get rid of them.

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Adult and immature leafhoppers suck sap from the leaves of plants and cause mottled discolouration. The 3mm-long adults readily spring from the leaves when disturbed. The pest usually overwinters as eggs laid on the plant. These hatch in spring and go on to produce several generations of the pest in a single season. Individual leafhopper species are specific to particular plants or groups of plants. Although most plants are able to survive an attack, leafhopper feeding leaves unsightly marks on foliage.

Symptoms

Yellow to white mottling of upper surface of leaves. Whole leaf may become puckered and turn brown at the edges.

Find it on

a range of ornamental plants, trees, shrubs, herbs, some vegetables, fruit

Organic

Cover a piece of stiff card with grease or contact adhesive and hold it above the infected plants while lightly brushing the foliage with your other hand. The disturbed leafhoppers should become stuck to the card and can then be disposed of.

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