Two-Lined Spittlebug

Fascinating facts about the Two-Lined Spittlebug

• Two-lined spittlebugs measure just 8-10 mm long, yet their bold black bodies are crossed by two bright red or orange wing lines. Adults sip the leaves of native holly and eastern redbud, while their nymphs hide inside frothy spittle made from plant juices as they chew on grasses like centipedegrass, bermudagrass and corn.
• Across the eastern half of the United States, the two-lined spittlebug is a common resident, spreading wherever lawns and pastures grow. Its presence is not just a curiosity; by chewing on forage and turf grasses it creates economic loss for farmers and homeowners alike. The insect's feeding on turf grasses classifies it as a pest of lawns, and its damage to forage grasses can reduce the productivity of grazing lands. Because it thrives on both native and introduced plants, control measures must consider a wide range of host species. Understanding its broad distribution helps land managers prioritize monitoring in vulnerable grasslands.
• Since 2016, the two-lined spittlebug on the island of Hawaiʻi, where it has been linked to dying pasture patches. By 2022 the infestation had spread to cover more than 70,000 ha, inflicting serious, long-term damage on large rangelands.
• Its ability to feed on both native and introduced plants means it can persist even when land use changes, and its rapid spread in Hawaiʻi shows how quickly it can become a problem outside its native range.

Sources

Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.

• Wikipedia

At a glance

About the Two-Lined Spittlebug

In the warm, golden light of a summer's day, the Two-Lined Spittlebug dances across the landscape, its delicate, lace-like wings beating in a hypnotic rhythm as it flits from blade to blade of grass. With each gentle leap, it leaves behind a trail of glistening, saliva-like droplets, a protective cloak of foam that shields it from the prying eyes of predators and the scorching heat of the sun. As it moves, its slender body glimmers with a subtle, iridescent sheen, a testament to the intricate, gem-like beauty of this tiny, often-overlooked marvel of the natural world.

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