Meadow Spittlebug
| Scientific Name | Philaenus spumarius blandingii |
| Survival Strategy | Overwinter as Eggs |
| Conservation status | Not Listed |
Spring
Meadow spittlebug eggs hatch in spring as orange nymphs. As the developing insect grows through five molts (instars), its color changes from orange to pale green. They feed on fluids from their host plant while staying hidden in a cluster of foam that looks very much like “spit.”
Summer
By early summer, the adult spittlebug emerges after a final molt.
Fall
Female meadow spittlebugs lay eggs on host plants in late summer and fall. Adults die after the first freeze.
Winter
Meadow spittlebugs overwinter as eggs.
Behavior
Blowing Bubbles
Spittlebug nymphs drink a large amount of watery sap from the xylem of plants and, in turn, release a great deal of diluted urine, 150 to 280 times their body weight every day. They combine the urine with a surfactant that makes bubbles last longer, creating the perfect mixture for building their foamy hideaway. Spittlebugs construct their foam shelter by releasing air from their anus into this mixture. Researchers are unsure of the benefits of this bitter-tasting foam. It may shield meadow spittlebugs from UV light, modify temperatures, discourage predators, or possibly have antibacterial properties.
A spittlebug will extend the tip of its abdomen outside the foam like a snorkel to get needed oxygen while hiding in its “bubble wrap” tent. Suppose a nearby predator makes snorkeling too dangerous. In that case, the spittlebug will pop several tiny bubbles, combining them into one super-bubble large enough to provide a temporary supply of oxygen while they stay out of sight.
Physiology
Froghopper
Adult meadow spittlebugs do not hide in the bubbly spittle used by nymphs. After their final molt, they have fully formed wings and strong legs with the ability to jump about 50cm (19.6in) straight up. Their frog-like appearance and impressive jumping are why adult spittlebugs are often called froghoppers.
Disease Vector
Meadow spittlebugs are vectors for plant diseases because they feed on the liquid from the plant’s xylem tissue which can transfer harmful bacteria between plants. Meadow spittlebugs spread the bacteria Xylella fastidiosa, which has caused the death of grapevines in California, citrus trees in Florida, and olive trees in Italy. In South America, it is a threat to the citrus and coffee industries.
Diet
The meadow spittlebug feeds on the watery liquid it sucks from the xylem tissue of any of over 400 species of plants. It uses its needle-like mouthpart as a straw and the plant’s stem as its “juice Box
Lifespan and Mortality
Meadow spittlebugs never live longer than one year. All adults die after the first freeze.
Predators
Birds and frogs eat adult spittlebugs. Nymphs are preyed upon by spiders and other invertebrates.
Climate Vulnerability
The meadow spittlebug is expanding its range northward, quite possibly due to a warming climate.
A recent study in California found that the meadow spittlebug is disappearing from its former range. This finding supports a German investigation that found that three-quarters of flying insects had disappeared from the study area over the past 25 years.
Never stop learning
Etymology: The genus Philaenus is from the Greek philein, which means “love.” The species name spumarius is from the Latin spuma, which means “sparkling” and refers to the nymph’s foam shelter. Together the scientific name Philaenus spumarius means “foam lover.”
References
| Yurtsever, Selcuk. (2000). On the meadow spittlebug Philaenus spumarius. Turkish Journal of Zoology. 24. 447-459. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273443867_On_the_meadow_spittlebug_Philaenus_spumarius |
| How the Spittlebug Builds Its Bubbly Fortress https://www.nytimes.com/video/science/100000006346172/how-the-spittlebug-builds-its-bubbly-fortress.html |
| Cornara, D., Bosco, D. & Fereres, A. Philaenus spumarius: when an old acquaintance becomes a new threat to European agriculture. J Pest Sci 91, 957–972 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-018-0966-0 |
| Meadow Spittlebugs Declining Rapidly Along the California Coastline https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=27975 |
| Spittlebug: A Unique Little Insect https://bugs.uconn.edu/2017/07/24/spittlebug-a-unique-little-insect/# |
| Revealed: The secret life of the spittlebug https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-48762200 |
| Philaenus spumarius, Meadow Spittlebug, Subfamily Aphrophorinae http://www.americaninsects.net/h/philaenus-spumarius.html |
| Meadow Spittlebug (Philaenus spumarius) (L.) S. Spangler, A. Agnello, and G. SchaefersDepartment of Entomology, Cornell University, NYSAES,Geneva, NY http://hdl.handle.net/1813/43209 |
| Hallmann CA, Sorg M, Jongejans E, Siepel H, Hofland N, Schwan H, et al. (2017) More than 75 percent decline over 27 years in total flying insect biomass in protected areas. PLoS ONE 12 (10): e0185809. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0185809 |
| Beckett KIS, Robertson AB, Matthews PGD. Studies on gas exchange in the meadow spittlebug, Philaenus spumarius: the metabolic cost of feeding on, and living in, xylem sap. J Exp Biol. 2019 Feb 11;222(Pt 3):jeb191973. doi: 10.1242/jeb.191973. PMID: 30745324. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.191973 |
| Sahayaraj, K.; Saranya, B.;Sayed, S.; Estelle, L.Y.L.; Madasamy,K. Biofoam of Spittlebug, Poophiluscostalis (Walker): Preferential Sites,Temperature Regulation, ChemicalComposition and AntimicrobialActivity. Insects 2021, 12, 340. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12040340 |