Buffalo treehopper

The Buffalo treehopper (Stictocephala alta) is a member of the Membracidae family within the order Hemiptera. Originally native to North America, it has become a significant pest in orchards across various regions, recognized by its distinctive humpbacked shape and triangular profile.

This insect affects a wide variety of plants, showing a strong preference for young fruit trees, including apple, pear, peach, and cherry. It can also thrive on numerous broadleaf weeds, which serve as alternative food sources for the developing nymphs during the summer months.

The life cycle involves one generation per year, with the insect overwintering as eggs inserted into the bark of twigs. Nymphs hatch in late spring, drop to the ground, and feed on herbaceous plants. Adults emerge in mid-summer and move back to trees to mate and lay eggs.

Damage is primarily caused by females during oviposition. They use their ovipositor to make two parallel, crescent-shaped slits in the bark. This action creates wounds that stunt the growth of young trees, cause bark to split, and invite secondary pathogens like fungi and bacteria.

• Prune and burn infested twigs during winter or early spring.
• Maintain clear orchard floors by removing weeds that host nymphs.
• Apply contact insecticides during the nymphal stage on weeds.
• Monitor adult populations to determine the timing for protective treatments.