what are these insects on the cuke plant? kill or leave them be?

[tnkrer]

I am seeing these jumping insects on the cuke plants. If you try to touch them, they suddenly jump to a new spot. They are brown, small with some weird fluffy stuff hanging from their back (or front, not sure). They seem to be on leaves and stem and not on the fruit. Do they cause harm to the plant? How bad?
Do these need to be eradicated? If so, what will work against them?
Thanks ..

[tnkrer]

Seems like planthopper -
https://bugguide.net/node/view/188321

[bower]

Yup. See also 'leafhopper'.

[tnkrer]

Planning to use DE powder on cucumber stems and leaves to control them .. First time doing this on plants.. Any tips? things to not do?

[agee12]

In consideration of beneficial insects, apply the DE in the evening and try to avoid getting DE on the blossoms.

[tnkrer]

Originally Posted by agee12

In consideration of beneficial insects, apply the DE in the evening and try to avoid getting DE on the blossoms.

Thanks .. I read that DE can hurt/kill bees, so I was planning to apply at dusk. Also most of the cuke flowers sort of close up in the evening and I plan to be very careful where I direct the spray (using powder spraying pump), so hopefully won't be hurting the one bumblebee that visits my garden.

[bower]

FWIW I haven't found leafhoppers to cause significant damage, even when they were abundant in my perennial garden. They can vector virus in vegetables, and can be a serious pest of beets from what I've read. Flea beetles seem to do a lot more direct damage to veggies here. We've always had leafhoppers pinging about in the tall herbs/grass at some point in the season, but I had no trouble with my beets I grew last year. Maybe different species?



I don't know where leafhoppers fit exactly in the beneficial insect food chain, but if they are harmless (relatively) in my garden, and attract some of the good guys, then they're okay by me. YMMV of course, and if I did see any damages caused by these, I would feel differently no doubt.

[habitat_gardener]

From the UC Davis IPM site (for the western species; probably applicable to the eastern ones):

"Melons and other cucurbits can tolerate fairly heavy feeding provided they are not stressed for moisture and possess six to eight healthy noninfested terminal leaves. After harvest, destroy crop residue as soon as possible to eliminate breeding areas."

[tnkrer]

hmm then may be I will leave them be. If I see any detrimental effect on the plant I will take action. (This is how I have been dealing with aphids, and typically at some point, ladybugs show up and my aphid problem is solved)