Three cornered alfalfa hopper: Alfalfa hopper damage may be detected from the seedling stage and into mid-season. Adults are triangular, green hopping insects of about 1/4 inch long and nymphs are greenish, humpbacked, non-flying crawlers with spines on their back (to 1/4 inch). Both the adults and nymphs feed on the soybean plant by piercing the main stem, branches, and leaf petioles and sucking sap. Typically an insect will repeatedly feed at the same location on the stem, but ring the stem or petiole. This feeding cause a swollen, callused spot which is weak and will break during windy conditions. Lodging of the mainstem or aerial stems is what causes the farmer to be concerned. However, in North Carolina this damage is not regarded as important. There is no management strategy for this insect.
This page (http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/plymouth/pubs/alfalfa.html) was created by John W. Van Duyn Ph D. Extension Entomologist and Wayne Modlin, Res. Tech. III.
Date Created 2/22/00.
Last revised on 2/4/04.
Published by North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service
Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Employment and program opportunities are offered to all people regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. North Carolina State University at Raleigh, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.