Leafhoppers’ pest status in Québec from 1868 to 2025: “ Loin des yeux, loin du cœur ”?

Over the past decade, leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) have gained increasing attention as agricultural pests and vectors of phytoplasma diseases in Québec. To determine whether their pest status has changed over time, we analyzed historical and contemporary records spanning 1868 to 2025, focusing on 2 ecological groups: species that overwinter in Québec (local species) and species that migrate annually (migratory species). Our analysis revealed that local leafhoppers have been recognized as pests since at least 1886, although they were generally regarded as having secondary economic importance. In contrast, migratory species, first reported in 1908, have been more frequently associated with economically significant crop damage. Among these, Empoasca fabae (Harris) and Macrosteles quadrilineatus (Forbes) were associated with 10 agricultural crops and accounted for 11% to 88% of adult specimens in reported crop assemblages. Local species were primarily associated with grapevine and apple production, respectively. We further found that first annual field reports from 1997 to 2025 are occurring progressively earlier in crops dominated by migratory species, such as potato and strawberry. These results suggest that recent changes in leafhopper pest status in Québec are being driven primarily by migratory species and that migratory leafhoppers have long been an important component of Québec agroecosystems, but their growing visibility and earlier seasonal report are increasing their perceived economic importance. The historical framework developed here provides a valuable approach for tracking changes in pest status through time and offers a useful tool for understanding how climate change may reshape the importance of agricultural pests in the future.