This season we will once again be monitoring the development of Virginia creeper leafhopper, VCLH, (Erythroneura ziczac) and Western grape leafhopper, WGLH, (Erythroneura elegantula) populations in Mendocino County Chardonnay vineyards. The monitoring efforts this year will be limited to three different locations in Mendocino County where known populations of Virginia creeper leafhopper occur (Hopland and Talmage). We plan to provide information regarding egg deposition and nymph development of these leafhopper species at key times this growing season.
Adults of both leafhopper species are now beginning to move into the vine canopy. Virginia creeper leafhopper has started laying eggs on basal leaves on grapevine varieties that have sufficient canopy growth. We conducted our second egg counts last week (April 26 and 27) and saw VCLH eggs for the first time. WGLH eggs were observed for the first time at the Talmage location. Again, VCLH is the dominant species found at the sites at this moment. With warm air temperatures this week, egg deposition will continue to increase. Please visit the project website (link below) to view photos of VCLH eggs.
Table 1. – Average number of Virginia creeper leafhopper eggs per leaf at three locations in Mendocino County.
Location | Average # of VCLH eggs/leaf |
Talmage 1 | 7.3 |
Hopland 1 | 0.5 |
Hopland 2 | 2.9 |
Ryan Keiffer and Lucia Varela, UCCE, are conducting the 2018 leafhopper monitoring. For more information, please visit the Areawide Virginia Creeper Leafhopper website