VCLH Egg Pictures

Various States of VCLH Eggs

While Virginia creeper leafhopper egg clusters can be seen with the naked eye, in order to determine their status it is best to use a dissecting microscope with back lighting. What follows is a series of images that depict the various states of VCLH eggs.

VCLH eggs are typically deposited in clusters of 2-10 eggs, although they can be deposited singly. The VCLH coats the eggs with a substance called "brochosomes" which acts as protection for the eggs against predators, parasitoids and even other leafhoppers. Below are pictures of healthy, unparasitized VCLH eggs.

Early stage VCLH eggs are clear and appear like a small blister underneath the leaf surface. Here we see 5 eggs total.

These are also healthy early stage VCLH eggs, but this time with backlighting.

As the eggs mature the eyes of the leafhopper become apparent at the tip of the egg. This indicates that a nymph will soon emerge.

Here is the same image but with microscope backlighting.

When the VCLH egg has completed development, the nymph will make a small tear along the edge of the egg and emerge through this space.

Note the small tear along the top left side of the egg. This is a sign that a healthy nymph emerged and that the egg was NOT parsitized.

The key natural enemy of VCLH is Anagrus daanei, which is a small parasitoid (click for video) that lays its eggs inside of the eggs of VCLH. Once inside the VCLH egg, the Anagrus daanei larva consumes the contents of the VCLH egg and then completes its development inside the "shell" of the egg. You can see a video of Anagrus daanei parasitizing VCLH eggs here (click on link)

Early stage parasitized VCLH eggs contain a red or white mass depending on whether or not the egg is backlit. The egg on the bottom is parasitized.

Here you can see the dark eyes of the parasitoids at either end of the eggs.

In contrast to VCLH nymphs, which emerge through a small tear along the side of the egg, the adult Anagrus daanei will chew a hole in the top of the egg and emerge upward through this opening. Click here to see a video of Anagrus daanei emerging from a VCLH egg.

Once it has completed development, the adult parasitoid emerges head-first from the VCLH egg.

Emergence of the adult parasitoid from VCLH eggs leaves a distinct circular opening on the top end of the egg.

Sometimes healthy, unparasitized VCLH eggs fail to develop. This is most likely due to incomplete egg deposition by the adult VCLH.

The clear substance protruding is a VCLH egg that is only partially inserted into the leaf tissue.

Same image as above, but with backlighting.