Flight Activity of the Threecornered Alfalfa Hopper (Homoptera: Membracidae) in Soybean

Threecornered alfalfa hopper, Spissistilus festinus (Say), flight studies conducted with yellow sticky traps (3 m tall) in soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr., showed that movement is primarily within 33 cm above the substrate. Two peaks in flight activity were detected in 1986 and one in 1987; significantly more males than females were trapped. Lateseason population peaks were detected by sweep net samples but not by sticky traps. Prevailing wind, sunny and shady exposures on sticky traps, and adjacent crops appeared to have no effect on trap catches. The proportion of nongravid females increased near the end of the growing season.