Treehoppers

Scientific name: many species
(Homoptera: Membracidae)

Facts: Treehoppers come in a variety of colors and patterns. Some treehoppers are camouflaged and may appear as spines or twigs until they move. All treehoppers have the pronotum extending over the back in the adults.

The three-cornered alfalfa hopper, Spissistilus festinus, pictured here is a pest of soybeans and alfalfa. They feed near the base of small plants and can damage the stems enough to girdle them. The nymphs have the same general shape but a short pronotum and a row of spines down the back.

Photo credit: B. M. Drees, Extension Entomology, Texas A&M University