Diversity and abundance of leafhoppers in Canadian vineyards

Leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) are pests of many temperate crops, including grapevines ( Vitis species). Uncontrolled populations can induce direct and indirect damage to crops due to feeding that results in significant yield losses and increased mortality in infected vineyards due to virus, bacteria, or phytoplasmas vectored by leafhoppers. The main objective of this work was to determine the diversity of leafhoppers found in vineyards of the three main Canadian production provinces, i.e., in British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec. Approximately 18,000 specimens were collected in 80 commercial vineyards from 2006 to 2008. We identified 54 genera and at least 110 different species associated with vineyards, among which 22 were predominant and represented more than 91% of all the leafhoppers. Species richness and diversity were estimated by both Shannon’s and Pielou’s indices. For each province, results indicated a temporal variation in species composition. Color photographs provide a tool to quickly identify 72 leafhoppers commonly associated with vineyards.