| Last week I noticed small striped tubes, which exuded a horrible reddish liquid on moort mallets in the arboretum. After great detective work leading to a diagnosis of a parasitised caterpillar, I was quickly put right on Facebook: it’s actually a tube spittlebug (Froghopper group). Keen to learn more I googled madly and became very confused, but finally found this simple guide to the world of bugs. |  Tube spittlebug case |
Adult spittlebugs are called froghoppers and are a subgroup with other hoppers because the winged adults are very aerodynamically shaped and jump with the fastest jumping speed in the insect world (too fast for most predators).
Incidentally hoppers in turn are grouped with cicadas into suborder Auchenorrhyncha (because adults have hard forewings which held roof-like over the membranous hind wings on the back.
And all of these are grouped with aphids, scales and true bug because they all have piercing sucking mouthparts and go through 5 nymphal stages to the winged adults (Order Hemiptera).
Incidentally hoppers in turn are grouped with cicadas into suborder Auchenorrhyncha (because adults have hard forewings which held roof-like over the membranous hind wings on the back.
And all of these are grouped with aphids, scales and true bug because they all have piercing sucking mouthparts and go through 5 nymphal stages to the winged adults (Order Hemiptera).
Plants have two fluid conducting systems in their trunk and stems (a bit like our arteries and veins). Shallow phloem channels carrying sugars down from the leaves to provide energy for plant cells are targeted by aphids and scales, which they in turn secrete from their bum as a sugary treat for ants.
Spittlebugs also tap into the deeper xylem channels that transport water and minerals up from plant roots and provides them with more liquid to make their spit.
There are two groups of spittlebugs.
Family Clastopteridae: Machaerotinae - Tube Spittlebugs (above). Their nymphs build and live in tubes.
Family Aphrophoridae Spittlebugs. The local species is Bathyllus albicinctus. Nymphs produce bubbly 'spittle' on the stems of shrubs or small trees to protect them. Check for them before cursing those uncouth bogans who expectorate on our plants
Spittlebugs also tap into the deeper xylem channels that transport water and minerals up from plant roots and provides them with more liquid to make their spit.
There are two groups of spittlebugs.
Family Clastopteridae: Machaerotinae - Tube Spittlebugs (above). Their nymphs build and live in tubes.
Family Aphrophoridae Spittlebugs. The local species is Bathyllus albicinctus. Nymphs produce bubbly 'spittle' on the stems of shrubs or small trees to protect them. Check for them before cursing those uncouth bogans who expectorate on our plants
 Spittlebug nymph encased in its spit |  Adult and larvae |  Spittlebug nymph emerged from it's protective spit |