This is my preserved Sharpshooter Leafhopper which is a destructive pest to various agricultural crops including grapes. It is not their eating on them with their piercing beak that is the problem, it is the pathogens that they secrete and leave behind that deals death.
The Leafhoppers transmit a bacterial pathogen "Xylella fastidiosa" that grows in the xylem, or water-conducting tissue of the plant, of certain plant species which creates a condition that starves the plant of water and nutrients leading to its death. In addition to the transmission of pathogens, leafhopper feeding can cause leaves to appear stippled, pale, or brown, and shoots may curl and die. Excrement exuded during feeding (they poop a lot) can serve as a substrate for the growth of sooty mold, or discolor leaves with a white chalky film.
The Sharpshooter Leafhopper is considered one of the original environmental terrorists.
Hal81
Loc: Bucks County, Pa.
Great capture. Glad those guys dont get any larger. We would have to hide in a world war 2 bunker.
Another amazing stack - the lighting is really nice Gary.
Hal81 wrote:
Great capture. Glad those guys dont get any larger. We would have to hide in a world war 2 bunker.
Thanks for viewing and I surely agree for it would be a very exciting time for us if the insects were the size of cows.
UTMike wrote:
Looks reptilian, Gary!
Thanks, UTMike. I agree with that. Although they are quite a pest I find them to be very colorful.
ecobin wrote:
Another amazing stack - the lighting is really nice Gary.
Thanks, Elliott. Photography has been defined as "painting with light" and as such controlling the illumination is important and it can be quite challenging at times....especially when what one is trying to illuminate is not much bigger than the head of a pin at times.
Another fine stack from the master.
sippyjug104 wrote:
Thanks for viewing and I surely agree for it would be a very exciting time for us if the insects were the size of cows.
If they were the size of cows some people would be eating them and calling them grilled leafhoppers. Ha!
sippyjug104 wrote:
This is my preserved Sharpshooter Leafhopper which is a destructive pest to various agricultural crops including grapes. It is not their eating on them with their piercing beak that is the problem, it is the pathogens that they secrete and leave behind that deals death.
The Leafhoppers transmit a bacterial pathogen "Xylella fastidiosa" that grows in the xylem, or water-conducting tissue of the plant, of certain plant species which creates a condition that starves the plant of water and nutrients leading to its death. In addition to the transmission of pathogens, leafhopper feeding can cause leaves to appear stippled, pale, or brown, and shoots may curl and die. Excrement exuded during feeding (they poop a lot) can serve as a substrate for the growth of sooty mold, or discolor leaves with a white chalky film.
The Sharpshooter Leafhopper is considered one of the original environmental terrorists.
This is my preserved Sharpshooter Leafhopper which... (
show quote)
Fantastic image!!! Gary
That critter resembles a Pit Viper!!
Learn something new every day. Nice work.
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