beet leafhopper

insect

Also known as: Circulifer tenellus, sugarbeet leafhopper

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Last updated

June 17, 2026

Quick Summary

The beet leafhopper (Circulifer tenellus) is a small, slender insect that feeds on plant sap. These insects are often beautifully colored and marked, and while a single leafhopper may not cause significant damage, large populations can be serious economic pests.1

A key characteristic of the beet leafhopper is its role as a vector for plant diseases. It is known to transmit the curly top virus, which affects sugar beets and other garden plants, causing leaves to curl and stunting growth. The beet leafhopper winters as an adult in desert areas and migrates to cultivated plants in the spring, producing multiple generations throughout the summer. Control measures for this insect can include the use of insecticides.21345

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curly top
…Europe, and Asia by the beet leafhopper (Circulifer tenullus) and in South America by Agalliana ensigera, which overwinter on wild plant hosts and in the spring migrate to sugar beet fields, their preferred hosts. The disease may be avoided by planting a thick stand as early as possible or when…
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…Europe, and Asia by the beet leafhopper (Circulifer tenullus) and in South America by Agalliana ensigera, which overwinter on wild plant hosts and in the spring migrate to sugar beet fields, their preferred hosts. The disease may be avoided by planting a thick stand as early as possible or when…
Read More

leafhopper
Major species
The beet leafhopper (Circulifer tenellus) is the carrier of a viral disease known as curly top that curls sugar beet leaves and stunts plant growth. The adults are pale green or yellow and are about 3 mm (0.1 inch) long. There are three or more generations…
Read More
The beet leafhopper (Circulifer tenellus) is the carrier of a viral disease known as curly top that curls sugar beet leaves and stunts plant growth. The adults are pale green or yellow and are about 3 mm (0.1 inch) long. There are three or more generations…
Read More