Spittlebug nymphs Froth

Description:

Cuckoo spit on a leaf from a Spittlebug nymph. The cuckoo is a cover of foamed-up plant sap resembling saliva; the nymphs are therefore commonly known as spittlebugs and their foam as cuckoo spit, frog spit, or snake spit. The foam serves a number of purposes. It hides the nymph from the view of predators and parasites, and it insulates against heat and cold, thus providing thermal control and also moisture control; without the foam, the insect would quickly dry up. The nymphs pierce plants and suck sap causing very little damage, much of the filtered fluids go into the production of the foam, which has an acrid taste, deterring predators.

Habitat:

Spotted during a morning walk at Kebun Raya Cibodas, a 80ha area above 1.400 metres high, mix of botanical park with big trees & palms and surrounded by rainforest at the foot of Gene volcano, Java - Indonesia.