Saratoga spittlebug – Aphrophora saratogensis

Saratoga spittlebug – Aphrophora saratogensis Common Name: Aphrophora saratogensis Latin Name: Saratoga spittlebug Appearance: The nymphs are not found on conifers but rather on various weeds. They expel waste materials and air as they eat, resulting in the protective, frothy clump known as spittle. With their enlarged abdomens and tiny heads, these fragile, soft-bodied insects are around 1/4″ long and resemble giant aphids. When the nymphs reach adulthood, they stop making spittle but continue to eat host plants. Adult spittlebugs will cease eating and deposit eggs between July and late August. Overwintering eggs hatch the following spring to give rise to the next generation of nymphs. Host plant:      Saratoga spittlebug is a pest of some pines, especially red pine (P. resinosa) grown in plantations. Territory: This insect may be found from Maine to Minnesota in the United States and the southern parts of the surrounding Canadian provinces. It is essential in Michigan and Wisconsin. Damages caused by Saratoga spittlebug: Adult feeding damages pines because toxins injected into the plant destroy tissues, resulting in dead pockets of xylem and phloem tissue. Extensive feeding destroys branches, stunts and deforms shoots, and can sometimes kill trees. Life history and habits: The nymphs are not found on conifers but rather on various weeds. They expel waste materials and air as they eat, resulting in the protective, frothy clump known as spittle. With their enlarged abdomens and tiny heads, these fragile, soft-bodied insects are around 1/4″ long and resemble giant aphids. When the nymphs reach adulthood, they stop making spittle but continue to eat host plants. Adult spittlebugs will cease eating and deposit eggs between July and late August. Overwintering eggs hatch the following spring to give rise to the next generation of nymphs.