An exotic species from a distant land

Leafhoppers, planthoppers and froghoppers are plant-feeding insects that belong to the order Hemiptera: the bugs. There are over 400 species in Britain with new species arriving every year. One comparatively recent discovery is the leafhopper Anoterostemma ivanhofi that has so far been found only in a restricted area near Kirkcudbright. It was first recorded in 2010 by a visiting entomologist for whom its appearance was quite unlike any leafhopper he had ever seen before. Enquiries amongst the international network of Hemiptera specialists eventually pinned it down to a species that had only once been recorded in Europe (Italy) and ultimately hailed from Russia and Ukraine.

It has been found in the upper saltmarsh grasslands bordering the River Dee downstream from Kirkcudbright and in Brighouse Bay where it feeds on Saltmarsh Rush, Juncus gerardii, sometimes in astonishingly high densities. One interesting feature of this species is that it has short wings (a phenomenon known as brachyptery) which means that it cannot fly. Lots of questions immediately arise: How did it get there? And from where did it come? Or is it a relict native population that had never been discovered before? How widespread is it in the area? Why does it occur in such high densities?

Although this part of Scotland is under-recorded for leafhoppers, the very high densities indicates that it is unlikely to have been overlooked before. Its inability to fly suggests that it must have been brought into the country by another means. As leafhoppers such as this one lay their eggs inside plant tissue, typically stems and leaves, they can easily get transported in hay or straw. Could it have arrived in a boat’s cargo, perhaps?

Whilst it is fun to raise these questions and speculate on the leafhopper’s history, we really need better information on its local distribution. Saltmarsh Rush is common in the area, so this is an appeal for naturalists to check any stands of the plant that they come across. The peak season for the leafhopper seems to be mid-June to mid-August.

Please send any records (ideally with photos) to the national recorder for leafhoppers, Alan Stewart (a.j.a.stewart@sussex.ac.uk).

Alan Stewart
National Recorder for Leafhoppers

*Alan has produced an ID guide and information sheet that you can see and download here.