Sugarcane planthopper facts for kids

The Pyrilla perpusilla, often called the sugarcane planthopper, is a small insect. It belongs to a group of insects called planthoppers, in the family Lophopidae. This insect originally comes from Asia. It likes to eat grasses and other plants. It is known as a major pest because it can harm important crops like sugarcane and sorghum.

What Does the Sugarcane Planthopper Look Like?

Adult sugarcane planthoppers are yellowish-brown and have a soft body. They have a long snout that works like a straw. They use this snout to pierce plants and suck out their juices. Male planthoppers have a wing-span of about 20 mm (0.8 in). Females are a bit smaller, usually around 17 mm (0.7 in).

Eggs and Young Planthoppers

The eggs of P. perpusilla are oval-shaped. They are white to yellowish-green and about 2 mm (0.08 in) long. When the eggs hatch, tiny young insects called nymphs appear. These nymphs are creamy-white. Each nymph stage has long, thread-like parts near its tail end.

Where Do Sugarcane Planthoppers Live?

The P. perpusilla insect is native to southern Asia. You can find it in many countries there. These include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.

What Plants Do Sugarcane Planthoppers Eat?

Besides sugarcane, these planthoppers eat other plants. They can also lay their eggs and raise their young on some of these plants. Their food sources include:

• maize (corn)
• sorghum
• pearl millet
• barley
• bitter melon
• okra
• Vietnamese luffa
• watermelon
• squash
• rice
• wild oat
• pea
• Indian thorny bamboo

Life Cycle of the Sugarcane Planthopper

Female P. perpusilla lay small groups of eggs. They usually place them on the underside of sugarcane leaves. Sometimes, they lay eggs on the top surface. In winter, they might lay them inside the leaf sheath. The eggs are laid in four or five rows. The female covers them with white, waxy threads to protect them.

From Egg to Adult

The eggs hatch after 6 to 30 days. The exact time depends on the season. The young nymphs go through five growth stages. After the last stage, they shed their skin one more time and become adult planthoppers. They start to reproduce about eight days later.

How Many Eggs and How Long Do They Live?

In Sri Lanka, a female planthopper can lay about 133 eggs. Females live longer than males. However, new generations don't overlap. This means the adults die before their young become adults. In India, a female can lay up to 880 eggs. Their lifespan can be from 14 to 200 days. This also depends on the weather conditions.

How Sugarcane Planthoppers Affect Plants

The planthopper feeds by pushing its stylet (a needle-like mouthpart) into a leaf. It then sucks out the plant's sap, which is like its blood. The plant then produces a sugary liquid called honeydew. A black fungus called sooty mould often grows on this honeydew.

Damage to Plants

When planthoppers feed, the plant loses sap and becomes weaker. The sooty mould on the leaves blocks sunlight. This makes it harder for the plant to make food through photosynthesis. Brown spots can appear on the leaves, and they might change color. The leaves can also wilt, dry out, and turn brown.

Natural Enemies and Pest Control

In India, the P. perpusilla has at least 16 types of natural enemies. Some of these are parasitoids. They attack the eggs and young nymphs. Others are predators or parasitoids of older nymphs and adults. The moth Epiricania melanoleuca is a very successful parasitoid. Scientists are using this moth to help control the planthopper. This method is called biological pest control.