By Daisy Ahumada and Dominic Reisig
By Dominic Reisig and Daisy Ahumada, NC State Extension, Tim Bryant, Virginia Cooperative Extension
Corn leafhoppers (Dalbulus maidis) were found in eastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia in 2026. This small insect can spread corn stunt disease, which can damage corn and reduce yield. However, finding the insect does not mean that corn stunt is present or that growers need to spray.
What did we find?
In North Carolina, we placed yellow sticky traps in two cornfields at the Vernon G. James Research and Extension Center in Plymouth. Of the 30 traps collected, four caught a total of 20 leafhoppers. The first positive trap was collected on August 6 and the last on September 2. The corn was in its reproductive growth stages (R3–R6) when these traps were collected.
In Virginia, traps were placed in two cornfields near Suffolk, about 2.8 miles apart. Seven traps held insects that looked like corn leafhoppers. DNA testing confirmed six corn leafhoppers from four of those traps. These traps were collected on May 29, June 12, July 10, and August 20. Corn growth stages were not recorded, but the plants were likely still in vegetative growth during the May and early June detections.
DNA testing confirmed the identity of corn leafhoppers collected in both states. Samples from both states tested negative for two pathogens linked to corn stunt disease, corn stunt spiroplasma and maize bushy stunt phytoplasma. The samples were not tested for viruses associated with corn stunt. Thus, the negative results do not rule out every cause of corn stunt. However, disease symptoms have not been seen in North Carolina and Virgina.
Why does it matter?
Corn leafhoppers are small, pale yellow or tan insects, about 1/8 inch long. Adults have two black spots between their eyes. Several common leafhopper species look similar, so lab testing may be needed to confirm an identification. Although they feed on corn, their greatest threat is their ability to spread corn stunt disease. Infected plants may have yellow or red leaves, short stalks, and small ears with fewer kernels. Symptoms may not appear until several weeks after infection and may look like other problems.
The timing of leafhopper arrival matters. Corn is at greater risk when infected early in its growth. In North Carolina, leafhoppers were not detected until corn was well into grain fill. In Virginia, they were found as early as late May, when corn was likely much younger. Extension specialists in Oklahoma and Missouri have raised greater concern when leafhoppers reach young corn, especially in late-planted fields.
Source : ncsu.edu