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foamy business
Bug man,
It’s spring time in Amsterdam, and I’m having some type of infestation on my small apple trees, Coriander, Mint, and parsley plants. I am hoping that this is something to to with Ladybugs, but I’m not quite sure. This foamy stuff, with larvae of some sort is on many of the plants, and the black and red insects are crawling about, though I belive those to actually be immature lady bugs. Can you identifiy this…and is it a problem….I hesitate to bring out the bug spray for fear of killing beneficial insects off. thanks!

This is actually the spittle formed by a Spittlebug. Spittlebugs, also known as Frog Hoppers, are in the Family Cercopidae. They are related to Aphids and Leaf Hoppers as well as other Hemipterans. Immature nymphs surround themselves with a foamy mass that resembles spittle while the suck the juices from the host plant.

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