AMES, Iowa — After nearly a century without documented sightings in Iowa, a tiny insect known as the Fitchiella robertsonii, nicknamed the “ball-nosed planthopper,” has been discovered in the state’s tallgrass prairies. The finding offers hope for prairie restoration and insect conservation efforts.
Over a 12-year survey of more than 60 prairie sites, an entomologist from Iowa State University and a citizen scientist located 219 specimens of the species, representing approximately 90% of all known collections worldwide. The work sheds new light on the insect’s life history, host plants, and habitat requirements.
Dr. Marlin Rice, of Iowa State’s Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology & Microbiology, said the moment of discovery still stands out.
“After taking multiple sweeps for 20 minutes and catching nothing of interest, I finally saw, there in the bottom of the net, the gorgeous little beast. I let out a holler of success that echoed across the Upper Iowa River valley,” Rice said. “Discovery is one of the greatest sources of all pleasure. To think that a species has been on the road to extinction in adjacent states because of habitat loss, and then to find that it was simply hiding in 35 tallgrass prairies across Iowa was a thrilling experience.”
Thrilling because less than 0.1 % of Iowa’s original tallgrass prairie remains, however, the presence of F. robertsonii suggests that fragments of the original ecosystem still support specialized fauna.
“The presence of the planthopper signals that one, remnants of the original prairie still exist in Iowa, and two, significant and interesting fauna can still be found in the state with sustained and intentional effort,” Dr. Rice noted.
The research identified two native grasses—Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), as key host plants for the insect. Once the team focused its collecting efforts on Indian grass, its success rate improved markedly. The insect’s lack of strong flight ability makes it vulnerable to habitat fragmentation. Dr. Rice cautioned about conventional prairie management tools.
“The interaction of fire and this species is unknown,” Rice noted. “It would be unfortunate to learn many years down the road that fire was a contributor to the extirpation of the insect in Iowa.”
This project was a true team effort, involving a professional and one very enthusiastic citizen scientist, Mary Jane “M.J.” Hatfield.
“M.J. was the catalyst for the research project. Her enthusiasm for learning more about the planthopper was unbridled and contagious,” Dr. Rice said. “Without her encouragement and participation, the research never would have been accomplished.”
The fieldwork conducted by Dr. Rice and Hatfield is complete; the findings have been submitted to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, along with recommendations for incorporating this rare insect into prairie management plans. “The bug is in their court now,” Dr. Rice said.
While the future of F. robertsonii in Iowa remains uncertain, its discovery brings renewed attention to the conservation of Iowa’s grassland remnants, and to the thousands of small, often overlooked species that depend on them.
For more information, contact:
Dr. Marlin Rice
marlinrice@gmail.com
Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology & Microbiology
Iowa State University