Treehopper

What it does

Treehoppers suck sap from stems and twigs and hop or fly off when disturbed. Their main damage is egg-laying: females cut crescent-shaped slits in bark and twigs to insert eggs, and these scars can weaken or deform young shoots and let in disease. Nymphs and adults also excrete honeydew, and many species are tended by ants.

Where it lives

The family is large and widespread across the US. Treehoppers live on a huge range of trees, shrubs, vines, and garden plants, resting on twigs, stems, and leaf stalks. The buffalo treehopper is common on young fruit and shade trees and in weedy areas and legume fields near orchards.

How it breeds

Most species have one generation per year. Females insert eggs into twig bark in late summer and fall, and these overwinter. Nymphs hatch in spring or early summer, often feeding on grasses and herbaceous plants before adults move to woody hosts. Adults appear from summer into fall.

What it eats

Treehoppers feed only on plant sap from the stems, twigs, and leaf stalks of their many host plants. Nymphs of some species feed on herbaceous plants and grasses. They do not feed on people, animals, or household items.

Identification

Treehoppers are recognized by the enlarged pronotum extending over the body, giving many a thorn, horn, or humped shape that mimics a plant spine. Sizes range from about 6 to 12 mm, in green, brown, or mottled colors. The buffalo treehopper is bright green and triangular, like a tiny bison's head.

Signs of an infestation

• Crescent-shaped egg-laying slits and scars on young twigs
• Thorn- or hump-shaped insects perched on stems
• Roughened, cracked bark on scarred shoots
• Honeydew and sooty mold with ants on infested plants
• Dieback of young twigs in heavy, repeated infestations

Prevention tips

• Control weeds and grasses near young trees where nymphs feed
• Keep young trees vigorous with proper watering and mulch
• Prune out and destroy heavily scarred twigs
• Encourage birds and predatory insects
• Avoid planting nursery stock next to weedy legume fields

Professional solutions

Treehoppers seldom cause enough damage to warrant professional control, especially on established plants. Where egg-laying repeatedly scars young orchard trees, managing nearby weeds and, rarely, a labeled insecticide timed to the pests can help. An extension office can advise if damage to young trees is significant.