Glassy-winged sharpshooter, Homalodisca vitripennis (Germar)

Abstract

The glassy-winged sharpshooter (Homalodisca vitripennis), native to the southeastern USA and northeastern Mexico, has become a major economic threat to the grape and wine industry of California, USA, due to its role as a vector for the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa. This pest has also spread to Hawaii, Cook Islands, Easter Island and French Polynesia. In California, chemical control measures have led to imidacloprid resistance, necessitating sustainable management options. Classical biological control has been effective, particularly using egg parasitoids from the genus Cosmocomoidea. The most successful species, Cosmocomoidea ashmeadi, has achieved parasitism rates of 80-100% and significantly reduced H. vitripennis populations in California and French Polynesia. Cosmocomoidea walkerjonesi offers complementary control, particularly in cooler regions. These parasitoids present promising long-term solutions for managing H. vitripennis populations.