Within-Plant Distribution Patterns of the Cotton Fleahopper (Hemiptera: Miridae)

The standard sampling method for cotton fleahoppers, Pseudatomoscelis seriatus (Reuter), involves whole-plant examinations and direct observational counts of adults and nymphs on plants.  This procedure, however, becomes increasingly arduous and time-consuming as plants increase in size.  Consequently, many producers and consultants avoid or neglect scouting for fleahoppers and instead base treatment decisions on other factors such as plant growth stage or the need to treat for other insect pests.  Because the timing and intensity of fleahopper movement into cotton varies yearly, treatment decisions based on these other factors often result in mistimed or unnecessary insecticide applications.  In other instances, economic infestations may go undetected and untreated in absence of sampling.  We examined the distribution patterns of cotton fleahopper adults and nymphs on plants under both field and laboratory conditions and during different periods of the day to determine whether sampling only the terminal portion of plants provides reliable population estimates.