Virtual Exhibit on Canada´s Biodiversity

	Metamorphoses: simple North American Families: 38 North American Species: 6359	Homoptera Aphids, cicadas, leafhoppers and scale insects Feeding Habits: All Homoptera are phytophagous. Some species are serious pests of cultivated plants.
	Description: Homoptera have sucking mouthparts that form a beak that arises from the back of the underside of the head, near the front legs. Winged Homoptera have four wings, with the front pair either membranous or slightly thickened. The wings are held rooflike over the body. There are many wingless species of Homoptera and in some species both winged and wingless individuals occur. The antennae are either very short and bristle-like or long and thin. The range of body size and shape is very variable in the Homoptera.
	Comments: Many species of Homoptera have complex life cycles. Some species are beneficial and are a source of shellac and dyes. Other species are pests of plants and a few species transmit plant diseases.

	Families in this Order
	Aleyrodidae: Whiteflies Size: 1 to 3 mm North American Species: 3 in Canada
	Aphididae: Aphids or plantlice Size: 2 to 8 mm North American Species: 650 in Canada
	Cercopidae: Froghoppers and spittlebugs Size: 4 to 13 mm North American Species: 33 in Canada
	Cicadellidae: Leafhoppers Size: 3 to 13 mm North American Species: 250
	Cicadidae: Cicadas Size: 25 to 50 mm North American Species: 9 in Canada
	Coccoidea (Superfamily): Scale insects Size: 1 to 10 mm North American Species: 750
	Membracidae: Treehoppers Size: 10 to 12 mm North American Species: 69 in Canada

HomopteraAphids, cicadas, leafhoppers and scale insects

Families in this Order

Homoptera
Aphids, cicadas, leafhoppers and scale insects