White froth on my plants - What is it?

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gardendragon Ladysmith, BC(Zone 8a) May 27, 2001

Can anyone tell me what the white froth is that seems to be all over my plants, expecially the Lupins and Columbines.

Is is harmfull the the plants? What can I use to get rid of it. Please no chemicles if possible.

Post #5473
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BJT72 Perrysburg, OH(Zone 5a) May 27, 2001

friday afternoon i also found white froth on my campanula,
i'm quite curious. i sprayed it off, hopefully that will be
the end of it.

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GrannyLois Elizabethton (Stoney, TN(Zone 6b) May 27, 2001

white froth on big conifer tree here (probably pine).

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Ivey Lyles, TN May 27, 2001

Could be spittle bugs, really a larvae. Washing off with the hose usually gets 'em because they won't find their way back up the stalk. Look in the middle of each ball of "spit" to see if it has a small greenish worm. The froth is just plant sap they use for camo.

Post #77715
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Baa May 27, 2001

We call it cuckoo spit in this part of England but its the same bug as Ivey describes, washing it off is the easiest way although I've never found that they do too much damage.

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gardendragon Ladysmith, BC(Zone 8a) May 28, 2001

Thanks everyone, tomorrow will get out with the hose & wash them all off.

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notmartha Bay City, MI(Zone 6a) May 28, 2001

it is a lil bug-until last year i thought it was snake spit!
Well thats what my big sis told me many moons ago-she also told me about purple people eaters that lived in the woods-now im wondering if that was not true too!!!!

dori

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Calalily Deep South Coastal, TX(Zone 10a) May 29, 2001

Spittlebugs are small jumping insects. The nymphs are what make the bubble mess that looks like spit. The nymphs hang upside down to feed and secrete the spittle from their (butt) and it mixes with an excretion from a gland on their abdomens. Air mixed with the spittle makes it bubbly. They suck the juice from plants. The adult lays the eggs in the angle between a leaf and the stem of a plant in the fall and they overwinter there. The meadow spittlebug (Philaenus spumarius) is the most common one. The adult is green with pale spots and really likes clover and alfalfa.
Calalily

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ztasusan Spring, TX(Zone 8a) Jun 26, 2001

They really don't harm many plants EXCEPT STRAWBERRIES. The strawberries will be puny if you don't get them off.

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