HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp

Clickable Guide

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

National Moth Week was July 23-31, 2022! See moth submissions.

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29

Photos of insects and people from the 2015 gathering in Wisconsin, July 10-12

Previous events

TaxonomyBrowse

Info

ImagesLinksBooksData

Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies (Hemiptera) » True Hoppers (Auchenorrhyncha) » Cicadas, Spittlebugs, Leafhoppers, and Treehoppers (Cicadomorpha) » Spittlebugs (Cercopoidea) » Typical Spittlebugs (Aphrophoridae) » Aphrophorinae » Philaenini » Philaenus » Meadow Spittlebug (Philaenus spumarius)

Species Philaenus spumarius - Meadow Spittlebug

Classification · Other Common Names · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Food · Remarks · Internet References · Works Cited

Leafhopper - Idiocerus or Coelidia? - Philaenus spumarius

Green Spittlebug from Spotted Knapweed - Philaenus spumarius

Tan froghopper? on leaf - Philaenus spumarius

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

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

Suborder Auchenorrhyncha (True Hoppers)

Infraorder Cicadomorpha (Cicadas, Spittlebugs, Leafhoppers, and Treehoppers)

Superfamily Cercopoidea (Spittlebugs)

Family Aphrophoridae (Typical Spittlebugs)

Subfamily Aphrophorinae

Tribe Philaenini

Genus Philaenus

Species spumarius (Meadow Spittlebug)

Other Common Names

Common Spittlebug (UK)(1), Common Froghopper (UK)(2), Cuckoo-spit Insect

Explanation of Names

Philaenus spumarius (Linnaeus 1758)

spumarius = 'frothy'

Size

5-7 mm(2)

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

native to, and widespread across the Palaearctic, adventive and widespread in NA (much of the US except sw. areas, most common in the northeast and Pacific Northwest)(2)(3)

Food

infests >400 plant species, may damage alfalfa, red clover, wheat, oats, corn, and strawberries

Remarks

earliest NA record: NF ca. 1000(4)

Internet References

Fact sheets: NC State U. (range data obsolete)

Species page(2)

Works Cited

1.	Agricultural insect pests of temperate regions and their control Hill D.S. 1987. Cambridge Univ Press. 659 pp.

2.	Bantock T., Botting J. (2010-) British Bugs, an online identification guide to UK Hemiptera

3.	Garden Insects of North America : The Ultimate Guide to Backyard Bugs (Princeton Field Guides) Whitney Cranshaw. 2004. Princeton University Press.

4.	Short-horned bugs (Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha) introduced to North America

Contributed by john and jane balaban on 27 September, 2004 - 8:36pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, ceiseman, v belov
Last updated 13 March, 2013 - 9:24am

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2023 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Printer Friendly Version