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Insect Order Homoptera
- cicadas,
hoppers, whiteflies, aphids
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The Homoptera are a large group of
sucking insects. There are more than 32,000 species and there is great
diversity in body size. All are plant feeders and have mouth parts adapted
for sucking plant sap from trees and plants. They can cause injury and
destroy valuable food crops such as fruit trees and grain crops. Some
carry plant diseases, but a few provide secretion or other products that are
beneficial and have commercial value.
The mouth parts are adapted for sucking, the beak
arises from the back of head, wings, when present, number four, the front wings
have uniform structure, either membranous or slightly thickened; wings at rest usually held
roof-like over body; male scale insects with only 1 pair of wings; ocelli present
or absent; compound eyes usually well developed. Most
members of the Homoptera fall into one of two large groups: |
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Auchenorrhyncha,
which consists of the cicadas, treehoppers, froghoppers or spittlebugs,
leafhoppers, and planthoppers or fulgorids; |
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Cicada |
Treehopper |
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The
Sternorrhyncha,
which includes aphids or plant lice, phylloxerans, coccids, scales, whiteflies,
and mealy bugs. |
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Aphid |
Whitefly |
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