Host Plants of the Threecornered Alfalfa Hopper (Hemiptera: Homoptera: Membracidae)

Abstract

Selected reported host plants for the threecornered alfalfa hopper, Spissistilus festinus (Say), were tested to determine if they were feeding hosts only or if they also served as breeding hosts. Adult threecornered alfalfa hoppers did not survive on barley, Hordeum vulgare L.; oats, Avena sativa L.; wheat, Triticum aestivum L.; or Bermuda grass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. Adult hoppers fed and survived on tomatoes, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., but did not reproduce. Adult hoppers fed and nymphs were produced on all other host plants tested, including alfalfa, Medicago sativa L.; cocklebur, Xathium spinosum L.; dock, Rumex sp.; lespedeza, Lespedeza striata (Thunb.) H.A peanuts, Arachis hypogaea L.; red clover, Trifolium pratense L.; soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr.; vetch, Vicia angutifolia Reichard; white clover, Trifolium repens L.; and wild geraniums, Geranium carolinianum L. The greatest number of nymphs were produced on peanuts and soybean. Female adult hoppers lived significantly longer on peanuts than on all other host plants tested.