Wildlife Wednesday Glassy-winged Sharpshooter

Meet Homalodisca Vitripennis, the Glassy-winged Sharpshooter

In today’s installment of Wildlife Wednesday I’d like to introduce Homalodisca Vitripennis, the glassy-winged sharpshooter. We discovered this “new to us” species on Sunday 8-24-25 on a rainy day in the Agroforestry garden. It was hanging out in the light rain on a luffa gourd leaf. It was immediately aware of us and quickly darted to the other side of the leaf as we moved near it. It took several tries to capture this image.

This 1/2” long native leafhopper (Cicadellidae family) species is known to humans as an “agricultural pest.” It lays eggs and larvae host on at least 70 different species. Many of the host plant species are NOT native though, and this bares mentioning when applying the label of “pest.” Adults feed on plants by stabbing its sucking mouth parts in to the xylem of the plant. This part of the plant pulls water and nutrients up from the root system to the leaves. This species can take in, process and eject approximately 300 times its body weight of plant fluid per day. This generates a lot of waste that has to be dealt with quickly and efficiently. The oscillating anal stylus utilizes super-propulsion to fling the waist away from the sharp shooter. The sharp shooter is the first known biological organism to utilize this feat of physics. It is hypothesized that nature utilized this phenomena thousands, if not millions of years before we did. In agriculture, it’s often known as “leafhopper rain,” and as it dries, it leaves a white film on the leaves. This form of feeding is not only considered detrimental due to the removal of water and nutrients, but also due to the introduction of bacteria, Xylella fastidiosa, that colonizes on the leafhoppers mouthparts. It’s by this method that the bacteria is introduced to the plant and causes damage. These two components together have earned this species the title of “pest.”

But, in a natural and native ecosystem, or balanced ecosystem, would they be?

As I mentioned the “hopper” pictured was discovered in the CMNC syntropic agroforestry system. At just over a year old, it is a lush and thriving system. Even with “pests” like this individual, found within. If we don’t use and pesticides, how is this possible? In short, variety & balance. Have a variety of species of plants that work together and peak at different times. Also, allow all native species of wildlife to enter and partake as they are inclined to do. Predators of many types share the space with the plants and us. Yes, some plant material is lost. Yes, some pollinators are lost, but, this is natural and all serves the purpose of the greater system. Consider carefully the label of “pest.” You’ll find it very frequently describes humanity.

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