Uncovering diversity and climatic drivers of leafhopper-parasitoid dynamics in Canada

Abstract

As climate change reshapes northern agroecosystems, leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) are shifting their distributions, with implications for pest outbreaks and crop health. In Eastern Canada, we monitored strawberry farms from 2023 to 2024, collecting over 82,000 leafhoppers from 64 genera. Migratory species, Empoasca fabae and Macrosteles quadrilineatus, dominated captures, with sharp abundance increases above 16{degrees}C and 14{degrees}C, respectively, while local species declined under higher rainfall. A major finding was the first Canadian record of the corn pest Dalbulus maidis, a vector of multiple pathogens, likely introduced through long-distance dispersal. Insecticide applications generally failed to reduce leafhopper numbers, highlighting the limitations of current chemical control. Parasitism rates by Gonatopus wasps (Dryinidae), averaged ~3% but peaked in late summer at over 20%, primarily in M. quadrilineatus. Warmer temperatures and seasonal progression increased both parasitism probability and rates. Genomic analyses revealed at least three Gonatopus lineages, including the first complete mitochondrial genome for the genus from the New World, and confirmed multiple host species. We also recorded the first Canadian occurrence of G. clavipes. Our results demonstrate that parasitoids are active, climate-responsive, and capable of targeting dominant pest species. Together, these findings provide the first ecological and genomic baseline for leafhopper-parasitoid interactions in Canada. They point to the potential of conserving and enhancing native parasitoid populations as a foundation for climate-resilient, pesticide-free pest management strategies.