Hemiptera, the order of “true bugs,” includes cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, assassin bugs, bed bugs, and shield bugs. They all share a common arrangement of piercing-sucking mouthparts, and according to entomologists, are the only arthropods that can be called “bugs.”
Leafhoppers (family: Cicadellidae)
Leafhoppers are jumpy little insects that suck plant sap from grass, shrubs, or trees. They can be found all over the world, including Hawaii, where there are both native and introduced species of leafhoppers. Hawaii is home to many endemic leafhopper species, such as the leafhoppers in the genus Nesophrosyne which are also a great example of adaptive radiation:
One example of an introduced nuisance leafhopper species is the two-spotted leafhopper, Sophonia rufofascia, which was first discovered in Hawaii on a farm in Waimanalo (Oahu) in 1987. Since that time, it has been found on all the major islands and on more than 235 host plants, including important crop and native plant species. Leafhoppers inject saliva into plants when they feed, which can simultaneously inject and spread plant pathogens, leading to widespread plant damage.
