Substrate-borne vibrational signals in intraspecific communication of of the glassy-winged sharpshooter

Exploitation of vibrational signals for suppressing glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS) populations could prove to be a useful tool. However, existing knowledge on GWSS vibrational communication is insufficient to implement a management program for this pest in California. Therefore, the objective of this study is to identify and describe substrate-borne signals associated with intraspecific communication of GWSS. Sound and video recordings of male and female GWSS on plants revealed a complex series of behaviors linked to vibrational signals that lead to mating. Data are currently being analyzed to characterize the spectral and temporal features of signals such as frequency span, dominant frequency, intensity, and pulse repetition time.