Flatid Planthopper on Cabbage Palm - A Vector for Texas Phoenix Palm Decline?

Flatid planthopper (photo by D. Hazelbaker)

This flatid planthopper, Ormenaria rufifascia, is a common insect on some species of palms in Florida. The natural hosts of this planthopper in Florida are probably cabbage palmetto, Sabal palmetto, and saw palmetto, Serenoa repens, both native to this state, but this insect is sometimes seen on other palms.

 Although it is usually not a serious pest, it sometimes indirectly causes aesthetic damage when dense populations produce honeydew that supports extensive coatings of sooty mold on the host plants. Both the adults and nymphs are conspicuous insects that often arouse people's curiosity.

It has been reported throughout the Florida peninsula and in Georgia. It may occur throughout the range of cabbage palmetto and possibly of saw palmetto - Florida and the Gulf Coast west to Louisiana and the Atlantic Coast north through the Carolinas.

The adults are rather large for planthoppers i.e., about 1/2 in length. They are highly conspicuous when seen on their usual feeding site, the lower surface of fan-leaf palms. They appear as tiny colorful sailboats. Their color is light blue-green, with various orange to reddish markings. There are no other species of similar appearance known to occur on palms in Florida, and very few species of Flatidae occur on palms anywhere in the world.

Both the nymphs and adults tend to occur on older rather than younger leaves, a behavioral trait that is characteristic of many insects that feed on palm leaves. The fact that the older fronds of palms are more or less horizontal and thus offer protection from sun and wind may be a factor in their being preferred by many kinds of insects.

Like the vast majority of species of the insect order this planthopper feeds by sucking plant juices, and thus draws energy from the plant. The populations of this insect usually do not consist of more than several individuals per frond, but dense populations may occur from time to time. As evidence, highly infested fronds are sticky with honeydew which supports thick crusts of sooty mold.

Populations of this insect are generally sparse and control measures would seldom be needed. The species has not been considered economically important enough to justify research on chemical or other methods of controlling it. In cases in which a few specimen palms become highly infested with this insect, it may be possible to eliminate them by simple physical means, such as a strong water spray.

This planthopper has recently has been suspected as a vector of Texas Phoenix Palm Decline of cabbage palms, but certainly not proven. If this insect is a vector for TPPD, it would be very bad news for cabbage palms as their range extends up through Florida into Georgia, the Carolinas and west to Louisiana as does this insect. So in effect every cabbage palm in the above areas could eventually be in danger of infection.