About Homalodisca vitripennis

The glassy-winged sharpshooter (Homalodisca vitripennis) is a large leafhopper, similar to other species of sharpshooter.They have piercing, sucking mouthparts and rows of fine spines on their hind legs.

It is native to North America (northeastern Mexico), but it was accidentally introduced into Southern California in the early 1990s, probably with ornamental or agricultural stock. There it has become an agricultural pest especially to viticulture.

The glassy-winged sharpshooter feeds on a wide variety of plants. Scientists estimate the host plants for this sharpshooter include over 70 different plant species. Among the hosts are grapes, citrus trees, almonds, stone fruit, and oleanders. Because of the large number of hosts, glassy-winged sharpshooter populations are able to flourish in both agricultural and urban areas. They feed on a plant by inserting their needle-like mouth parts into the plant's xylem.

Picture credit: Public domain via Wikimedia Commons (Image source)

Taxonomy ID 197043

(Text from Wikipedia.)

More information General information about this species can be found in Wikipedia

Taxonomy ID 197043

Data source University of Texas at Austin

More information and statistics