Have you ever walked by a bush and saw what looked like spit all over it? Ewww! Gross! Well, it probably is not spit but a bug called the Froghopper, or Spittle Bug. The Spittle Bug nymph ( or immature stage) feeds on the sap of the shrub and create the spittle which covers them while they feed.

Spittle Bug eggs usually hatch in May and you will see this distinctive foam all over the plant shortly after.  You can usually find the adults in late summer, July and August, when the nymphs mature. Adults do not make the spittle and generally, unless weather conditions are favorable, they rarely have more than one generation per year. The adults lay eggs that overwinter and the cycle repeats the following year.

Spittle Bugs, while are not directly necessarily the cause of plant mortality, they do vector (or attract)  fungal and bacterial disease that can cause stem or branch die-back (flagging).

The first level of defense is to wash off the plant foliage when you see the distinctive markings of the Spittle Bug with a hard blast of water. (This my favorite and lazy person’s way to initially treat lots of bug issues!) I suggest do the water blast for 2 to 3 days in a row and then watch the plant for a few days before going to the next level of control if needed. This is called IPM or integrated pest management. (Or you could call it smart and lazy and cheap!)

The next level of control would be to apply a systemic insecticide like imidacloprid. Systemic means when applied either on the foliage or through the root system the insecticide is moved thorough the plant’s vascular system, protecting the plant from the inside out.  Depending on the method of application and a few other factors this control method could last a few weeks to a year.

Give us a call here at Perfection Landscape if you need help doing this and we can do it for you.