Species Philaenus spumarius - Meadow Spittlebug

Classification · Identification · Range · Food · Remarks · Internet References

Prairie Hopper (3) - Philaenus spumarius

A couple of spittle bugs? - Philaenus spumarius

Meadow Spittlebug? - Philaenus spumarius

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)

Suborder Auchenorrhyncha (Free-living Hemipterans)

Superfamily Cicadoidea

Family Cercopidae (Spittlebugs)

Genus Philaenus

Species spumarius (Meadow Spittlebug)

Identification

Comes in many different color patterns:

According to Dr. Andy Hamilton: If it's a spittlebug, and

(1) it's either entirely black (but not as round as Prosapia or Clastoptera) OR

(2) it has two tiny black spots at the tip of the head

... then it's a meadow spittlebug adult. Raised veins in the wings are also distinctive.

Nymphs are green with black antennae.

Range

Along the Pacific Coast and from Louisiana to Minnesota eastward

Food

It infests over 400 species of plants. Specially bad to alfalfa, red clover, wheat, oats, corn, and strawberries

Remarks

Introduced from Europe (widely distributed there).

Internet References

North Carolina State University.

Ohio State University

Contributed by john and jane balaban on 27 September, 2004 - 8:36pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, ceiseman
Last updated 28 July, 2009 - 5:07pm

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