Since the last week of September, Ashoka has been experiencing a leafhopper outbreak. Many students walk through the hallways and balconies dodging these little insects. The outbreak has hindered the regular routines of many Ashokans. Nischita Shekinah (UG’26) says she went for a run during mid-semester break at 19:00 p.m., “ her usual time of running,” but she had to stop before completing a single round because she had bugs caught in her hair.
Aashray Malik (UG’27) says “They bothered me a lot, especially when I went to play basketball. They got into my mouth and nose.” He also studies regularly at Fuelzone, and intimates that the hoppers have put a stop to that, with the library acting as a safe haven. The leafhoppers have also made their way into students dorm rooms. “I had to open the windows to air out my room for one hour in the afternoon in daylight” (due to mould treatment), Shekinah continued. “The insects still came in and they were there for two days. I would wake up to piles of dead insects all over the room,” she said.
Shivani Krishna, Assistant Professor of Biology told The Edict via email that “these insects, commonly known as hoppers, feed on sap from grass, shrubs and trees”. Hoppers are found in “large numbers near paddy fields during cultivation season” and have a wide geographical distribution. Krishna feels that the crops contribute majorly to the large number of hoppers.A Times of India article from 2008 highlights that hoppers have local names like phudka and bhusaddi in and around the vicinity of Delhi NCR. Krishna mentions that the hoppers have “very short lifespans” and are attracted to light.
Rajesh Sawar*, a senior administration member told The Edict that he is optimistic that the hoppers will disappear by Diwali as the colder months provide unfavourable conditions for them.
“Hoppers are ecologically crucial,” Krishna explains. They are an important part of the food web and contribute to local biodiversity. They can transmit viruses between plants, causing stunting diseases in paddy crops; however, they are not directly harmful to humans, Krishna adds.
In his experience, Sawar* finds that the majority of these small insects die between the hours of 5 a.m. and 7 a.m., as the sun rises. Sawar* tells The Edict that Housekeeping staff then ensure they are cleaned up across campus by 8 a.m. before morning classes begin.
The staff on campus who are stationed at the gates express that they are not afraid, as the streetlights near their homes also attract these insects. Since this is a yearly occurrence, they just wait it out until Diwali. While they are stationed at the gate, a sufficient stock of Odomos is provided by the University to repel the hoppers.
Video of Leafhoppers around library stairs | Image Courtesy: Manasvi Jalan
Sawar* maintains there is nothing to be done apart from sealing all the doors and windows, and advises the Ashokan community to stay indoors after sunset and consume food indoors. Krishna says, “reducing the number of lights turned on, especially near the eateries, could be beneficial at this time of the year,” which places like KitKat and Dhaba have been following lately. Sawar* say that the air curtains present in the mess, library cafe, and the mess on the new campus also help keep the hoppers away. However, Malik tells us that he has had issues eating at the mess in recent times due to the hoppers.
*Pseudonyms have been provided for a source to preserve their anonymity.
(Edited by Aditya Roy and Keerthana Panchanathan)
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