Potato Leafhopper vs Superb Green Cicada

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Potato Leafhopper Superb Green Cicada
Scientific Name Empoasca fabae Neotibicen superbus
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Cicadellidae Cicadidae
Size 3-3.5 mm 33-40 mm
Habitat Farmland Deserts & Drylands
Diet Herbivores Sap Feeders
Regions Eastern North America Southwestern United States from Texas to Arizona
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Potato Leafhopper

A small bright green leafhopper that causes hopperburn on potato, bean, and alfalfa leaves. It migrates northward each spring on storm fronts from the Gulf states.

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Did You Know?

It runs sideways when disturbed, a distinctive behavior that helps distinguish it from other leafhoppers.

Superb Green Cicada

A large and strikingly green cicada of the American Southwest with a powerful buzzing song. It is one of the most robust cicada species in North America.

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Did You Know?

Its call is so loud it can reach over 100 decibels, making it one of the noisiest insects in North America.