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R. A. Prestidge. 1982. Instar duration, adult consumption, oviposition, and nitrogen utilization efficiencies of leafhoppers feeding on different quality food (Auchenorrhyncha: Homoptera). Ecological Entomology 7: 91-101.

Abstract. 1. Plant material of Holcus lanatus L. removed from an artificially fertilized trial was used to rear leafhoppers of three feeding types: Dicranotropis hamata Boheman and Ebmana sulphurella Zetterstedt, (phloem feeders), Eucelis incisus Kirschbaum (xylem feeder) and Zyginidia scutellaris Herrich‐Schaeffer (mesophyll feeder).

2. In the laboratory, leafhopper instar durations, adult consumption rate, oviposition rate, and nitrogen utilization efficiency were influenced by the quality of the food consumed. Adult longevity was unaffected by the level of food quality normally found in plants.

3. Z.scutellanis consumed mesophyll contents equivalent to 72% of its body weight each day but only digested about 30% of its intake. Eincicus had a low dry weight consumption rate (12% body weight/day) but digested its food more efficiently (60%) than the other feeding types. The two phloem feeders consumed mounts equivalent to 25% of their body weight each day and digested 40–50% of their intake.

4. Each species reached maximum nitrogen utilization efficiencies at different plant nitrogen levels. This suggests that leafhopper species may be associated with a particular nitrogen concentration in the grasses.

Keywords: leafhoppers, food quality, nitrogen utilization, instar duration, food consumption, leafhoppers are characteristic fauna of grasslands of acidic and calcareous soils, all leafhoppers extract either phloem, xylem, or parenchyma cell material with sucking mouthparts