Two-Spotted Cotton Leafhopper / Cotton Jassid Update

Over the past several weeks, we have been in communication with our colleagues in Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama who have been battling the two-spotted cotton leafhopper (TSCL), also commonly referred to as the cotton jassid. The two-spotted cotton leafhopper was found infesting cotton in Raymond, MS, this morning (9/8/2025) and has been positively ID’d by entomologists with the Mississippi Entomological Museum. There is a lot that we do not know about this pest, so most of this information is coming from neighboring states. In high numbers, this pest can cause severe hopper burn to cotton leaves, which displays as yellowing, reddening, and browning of the leaves, similar to K deficiency. If severe enough, cotton can prematurely drop leaves, ultimately negatively impacting yield.

The following photos, provided by Scott Graham (Auburn), were taken 4 days apart. This field averaged about 30 TSCL per leaf.

Identification and Detection: This leafhopper is small (2mm) and is green in color. The adults are most easily identifiable because they bare a black dot on the hind end of each wing. It is much more reliable to identify this species by the adults as the nymphal stage has no easily identifiable key feature.

We are in the process of determining the distribution of this pest across the state, and management should be handled on a situational basis. Monitor cotton acres and contact us if you detect this pest in your fields.