Cuckoo spit is a white frothy liquid secreted by the nymphs of a sap-sucking true bugs known as a froghoppers. They are also known as spittlebugs. Xylella fastidiosa is a bacterial disease of a wide range of plants and causes symptoms including leaf scorch, wilt, dieback and plant death. It is causing serious problems in Southern Europe but it has not yet been detected in Britain. The disease is spread by insects that feed on the xylem of plants.
This includes froghoppers. Xylella is not in the UK but could be introduced through the importation of infected plants. The RHS is a partner in a collaborative project which aims to understand and prevent the introduction of vector-borne plant pathogens, especially Xyllela, to the UK and the challenges they pose to the UK flora. The project is being undertaken by scientists in ten UK research organisations led by the John Innes Centre.
Spittlebugs are not a pest, so please don't remove them ; they are an innocent carrier of Xylella outside of the UK. Join the RHS today and get 12 months for the price of 9. Take action Why take action? Support us Donate Careers Commercial opportunities Leave a legacy. Join the RHS today and support our charitable work Join now. Hot links Browse inspiration articles Buy plants online.
Buy tickets. RHS members get reduced ticket prices Join now. Harlow Carr North Yorkshire. Nymphs pump bubbles into fluid that is secreted as a foamy substance during feeding. This frothy mass protects spittlebugs from enemies and from drying out. The nymphs mature in five to eight weeks. As adults they move to nearby grassy areas, pastures or areas with broadleaf weeds.
The females return in September and October and lay clusters of eggs in plant debris or in leaves and stems. There is only one generation per year.
In late April or early May, check every two weeks for spittlebug foam and nymphs at the base of the plants. As the plants grow, look for them on the underside of young leaves. After all, what kind of creature would spit on your plants? And if they dislike your plant enough to spit it out, why are they still feeding on it? The froth is actually a secretion. Spittlebug nymphs turn the liquid secretion into bubbles by moving or pumping their bodies.
Spittlebug eggs are laid in late summer and are left to overwinter on plant debris. The eggs will hatch in early spring and go through five instars, or stages, before becoming adults.
When the nymphs originally hatch in early spring, they will attach themselves to a plant and begin feeding. They are a wingless, green creature at this point and are almost invisible inside the spittle. Although the names are used interchangeably, spittlebugs and leafhoppers are not the same insect. Spittlebugs are related to leafhoppers but have a broader body. They also have faces that resemble frogs and are sometimes call froghoppers. Although spittlebug nymphs do feed on plant sap, the damage is minimal, and populations are usually small, so no pesticide is necessary.
A strong blast with a hose should be enough to dislodge a spittlebug nymph. One last thought. The liquid is actually secreted from the other end. In extreme cases, spittlebugs can cause stunting and weaken plants or reduce yields.
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