De. Gandolfo et Db. Richman, THE BIOLOGY OF THE SNAKEWEED LEAFHOPPER, EMPOASCA-BITUBERA (HOMOPTERA, CICADELLIDAE), IN NEW-MEXICO, The Southwestern entomologist, 21(2), 1996, pp. 117-126
The life history of the snakeweed leafhopper, Empoasca bitubera DeLong
, was studied at four sites in southern and central New Mexico. This a
pparently monophagous leafhopper was found to live on woody snakeweeds
, Gutierrezia spp., throughout its life cycle. At least three apparent
population peaks were observed during the year. Ten other leafhopper
species were collected, of which only one, Gyponana delta Ball, was ob
served feeding on snakeweed in the field. Three other species were obs
erved to feed on snakeweed in the laboratory. Empoasca bitubera was fo
und to be attacked by a dryinid wasp, Aphelopus sp. Gyponana delta and
Balclutha neglecta (DeLong and Davidson) were also found to have dryi
nid parasitoids (genus unidentified). Two other species of leafhopper,
Ceratagallia bigeloviae (Baker) and Aceratagallia uhleri (Van Duzee)
were parasitized by a strepsipteran, Halictophagus sp.