ABSTRACT
Piesmatids are phytophagous and usually feed on the leaves, stems, and flowers of Chenopodiaceae, Caryophyllaceae, and Leguminosae (Schaefer 1981, 1983).
Piesma quadratum
(Fieber) and
P. cinereum
(Say) are important vectors of viral diseases of sugar beets. Other species, like
P. capitatum
(Wolff) and
P. maculatum
(Laporte de Castelnau), have also been reported from sugar beets (Heiss and Péricart 1983). However, feeding by these species on sugar beet does not transmit viral disease and causes little damage. The great majority of piesmatids is of no economic importance.
