It looks like it might be a leafhopper.. Just a guess. I found this web site that shows the red striped one but there are other kinds. If you google leafhopper you should get more info.
Good luck
Amy

Here is a link that might be useful: Leafhopper

To some folks, that would be proof of specialization, adaptation, natural selection, or evolution.

To me it's proof of the absolute wonder of Mother Nature captured by the evolution of photographic technology.

Great photo!

What damage is it doing?

Baimee

You are right, I looked it up. It is a leafhopper....
"Archasia belfragei, another common North American oak-feeding species". They say it sucks sap and can damage plants by stealing nutrients from the stems, etc. It is hard to tell the damage though as I think it actually takes nutrients which cause the plant to get other things.

As well, I think I have a critter eating my tomatoes so it has been a tough year in Tomato Land. I thought it was a bunny but now I think possibly squirrels as they got one near top of plant..? Just a guess so I am going to try covering the tomatoes w/cheesecloth. Think that will work?

If you mean cover the cages with cheesecloth, that would provide the squirrels with something to climb. If you mean cover the fruit, I've covered mine with paper bags, coffee filters and aluminum screen wire. Nothing worked. Finally gave them reject tomatoes stuffed with d-con. They think it's big green seeds.

I'm glad that it helped. I hope that you are able to get your critters. Some other forum members also hang red/green ornaments from the plants before the tomatoes begin to ripen and once the critters try to eat the ornaments they realize they don't like them and stay away.
Good Luck
Amy

Solanaceous planthopper. They're sucking pests.

When I gardened in SoCal, they tended to be a late season pest on tomatoes and peppers or, if during the season, on stressed plants.

The youngsters are dark-colored and spiny looking, often in groups on the stems. These are relatively easy to squish. But are so numerous that I typically protected fingers with a facial tissue or paper toweling. And direct hits of insecticidal soap work. But you'll need to repeat every several days for a while.

As for what's eating your green tomatoes, consider snails, caterpillars or roof rats. (Although I must say that the roof rats usually waited until mine were ready to pick!) A photo of the damage would help.

Ok, I covered my tomatoes with cheesecloth and whatever is eating them tore right through it and ate one of my almost ripe tomatoes half gone. What is getting to these tomatoes? Any way to keep critters out?

Give 'em a plate/dish/whatever of water.
Maybe that's what the critter is really after......

Lee

A brown, spiny version of this little monster almost killed three of my sweet basils (only saved by cutting above where it sucked and replanting to form new roots). Finally I know what it is, thank you!!!

I can't accept secondary infection as a cause either, because on the third basil, I found one of these sitting RIGHT there sucking away merrily.

I don't want a solution so much as I want to go medieval on these things. What's their natural preditor? *evil grin*