Natural History of the Leafhopper Carneocephala Floridana (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) in a North Florida Salt Marsh

Abstract

Adults of the leafhopper Carneocephala floridana Ball are found year round, usually at low to moderate densities, in the salt marshes of north Florida. Although this hopper is oligophagous, the salt-marsh cord grass, Spartina alterniflora Loisel, is a primary host plant and serves as the main substrate for both feeding and oviposition for the nymphs and adults. The life history and life cycle of this hopper were investigated in the field and laboratory. In the laboratory, at 21@*C and 73% RH, adult females laid an average of 94 eggs over their adult lifetimes, which averaged about 34 days. Egg development of C. floridana was completed in 10-12 days. Two undescribed species of egg parasitoids in the genus Gonatocerus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) were reared from field-collected eggs of C. floridana.