Two-Spot Cotton Leafhopper Amrasca biguttula (Ishida) (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)

Amrasca biguttula, Ishida (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), also known as the two-spot cotton leafhopper, became established in Florida in 2024 where it causes significant damage to a range of ornamental and horticultural crops. It is a major pest of okra (Abelmoschus esculentum L.), eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) and various types of hibiscus (Hibiscus spp. L.). It is also a major pest of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) in Asia and poses a threat to cotton production in Florida and the southeast USA. Regulatory restrictions have been imposed on the shipment of leafhopper hosts from Florida to other states because of this threat. Therefore, the pest poses a significant regulatory burden to the state in addition to damage presently inflicted on production of ornamental and vegetable crops, and the threat to cotton grown in the state’s Panhandle.