EdeLab & Research Explained!
Out of Sight, Out of Mind… Until the Leafhoppers Arrive Early!
Welcome back to EdeLab & Research Explained ! In this episode, we travel back to 1868 to explore how the status of leafhoppers as agricultural pests has changed in Québec. Although these insects have been present for more than a century, their perceived importance has grown as some species become more abundant, migratory leafhoppers arrive earlier, and their role as vectors of phytoplasma diseases becomes better understood. We focus particularly on the potato leafhopper and historical changes in its first seasonal reports across several Québec crops. Climate change, expanded monitoring, and growing awareness of insect-transmitted diseases are making leafhoppers far more visible—and much harder to ignore. The article also includes something quite unusual for a major American scientific journal. Published in the Annals of the Entomological Society of America , its title features the French expression “Loin des yeux, loin du cœur”—the equivalent of “Out of sight, out of mind.” This French phrase reflects Québec’s linguistic identity while perfectly capturing how agricultural pests may be overlooked when they are not immediately visible or causing obvious damage. But the story is changing. Leafhoppers that were once “out of sight and out of mind” are increasingly becoming a constant concern for Québec agriculture—and an important warning of how climate change is reshaping northern agroecosystems. https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/saag034
