Leafhopper

insects · plant-feeders · super jumpers · tiny creatures

Minute plant suckers. Leafhoppers are super small insects that use needle-like mouths to poke into plants and drink the juice, or sap, from grass, shrubs, and trees.

Champion jumpers. Their back legs are specially shaped and packed with hairs that let them jump incredibly far to escape danger, like tiny acrobats.

Waterproof coating. The hairs on their legs spread an oily, water-repellent substance all over their bodies that keeps them dry and also carries special smell signals called pheromones that help them talk to each other.

Everywhere on Earth. Leafhoppers live on almost every continent and include at least 20,000 different species, making them one of the biggest insect families in the world.

Plant troublemakers. Some leafhoppers are pests that damage crops, and a few species can spread plant viruses and diseases that make farmers very unhappy.