- Latin Name: Draeculacephala minerva
- Latin Family Name: Cicadellidae
- Common Name: Green Sharpshooter
- Other Names: Grass Sharpshooter
Origin:
Native to North America, and occurring in the west from Texas to Oregon and south into Central America.
Biology:
This species is one of several leafhoppers that may vector a plant pathogen that causes Pierce’s Disease, a devastating disease in vineyards and other crops, as well as on many ornamental plants. The insect hibernates in the adult stage, in very early spring deposits eggs into the leaves of grasses, and may have three generations each year. It will feed on some broadleaf plants but strongly prefers grasses, including both cultivated and weed grasses.
Identification:
Adult insects are about ¼ inch long, and a bright green color in spring and summer, tending toward brown in the fall and winter. Like other leafhoppers the wings are fully developed and held roof-like over the abdomen. The green sharpshooter is very similar to the blue-green sharpshooter, but has a much more pointed front of the head and the ventral side is the same green color as the rest of the body.
Characteristics Important to Control:
The major impact of the sharpshooters will be on crops, due primarily to their role as vectors of plant pathogens. Around ornamental landscapes the pest status is primarily a nuisance value, and if present in large numbers they may be controlled with an application of a labeled insecticide applied to the infested turf.
