Leafhoppers, capsids and suckers: The piercing and sucking mouthparts of these pests can lead to market rejections of ornamental crops

摘要

Leafhoppers. capsids, froghoppers, lace bugs and psyllids all belong to a huge order of insects—Hemiptera, or true bugs. They are characterised by piercing and sucking mouthparts and hardened forewings that form a protective shield when folded over the abdomen.The damage that these pests cause may not always be as severe in biological terms as that caused by aphids and whitefly, but they leave blemishes severe enough on ornamentals to downgrade a crop or cause market rejections.