Giant Malagasy Spittlebug

Description:

This is the so-called "giant Malagasy spittlebug...Ptyelus goudoti (superfamily Cercopoidea, family Aphrophoridae). It lives and develops 'communally' while in the nymphal stage. Population density on individual host trees can be high enough that the constant dripping of liquid from these communal spittle masses has led to the phenomenon of "rain trees". The large adults are polymorphic with various patterns of black, white, and yellow coloration on the pronotum and forewings.