Meadow spittlebug
(Philaenus spumarius)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List
not listed
NatureServe
NNR - Unranked
Minnesota
not listed
Description
Meadow spittlebug is a small jumping insect. It is widespread across Europe, Asia, and North America. In the United States is most common east of the Great Plains and west of the Rocky Mountains. Minnesota marks the western extent of its eastern range in the U.S. In Minnesota, it is common to abundant in the east, mostly absent from the west.
At least 35 color variations of Philaenus spumarius have been described and illustrated. These can be separated into 13 clearly classifiable dorsal color morphs based on standard three-letter phenotypes (Halkka et al., 1973; Stewart & Lees, 1996), all of which occur in North America.
The adult is wedge-shaped, heavy-bodied, and about ⅜″ long. It has a blunt, rounded head, large eyes, and very short antennae. It has specialized, needle-like mouth parts enabling it to suck on plant parts. The body is usually tan to dull brown, sometimes gray or mottled. There are only 1 or 2 spines on the hind tibia. The wings have raised veins and are held like a tent over the body.
| Category | Abbr. | Morph Name | Description | NA Presence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Non-Melanic |
POP |
populi |
Pale straw-colored/brown, mostly unpatterned or faint markings |
Common |
TYP |
typicus |
Pale yellow-brown with dark mottled chevron/patch on forewings |
Common |
|
TRI |
trilineatus |
Pale background with three dark longitudinal stripes along dorsal surface |
Common |
|
VIT |
vittatus |
Striped pattern similar to trilineatus but with distinct margin variations |
Present |
|
Melanic |
MAR |
marginellus |
Dark body with pale outer edges/margins along pronotum and forewings |
Common |
LAT |
lateralis |
Dark body with distinct pale lateral longitudinal stripes |
Present |
|
FLA |
flavicollis |
Dark body with a pale, yellow/tan head and anterior pronotum |
Present |
|
GIB |
gibbus |
Dark body with pale spots on thorax and wings |
Present |
|
LCE |
leucocephalus |
Dark body with a solid pale head and pronotum |
Present |
|
QUA |
quadrimaculatus |
Dark body with four distinct pale spots on wing margins |
Present |
|
LOP |
leucophthalmus |
Uniformly dark brown to black body |
Present |
|
Rare Morphs |
ALB |
albomaculatus |
Melanic form with irregular white/pale wing markings |
Rare |
PRA |
praeustus |
Dark body with pale wing tips/apex |
Rare / Uncommon |
The nymph is shaped similar to the adult but is smaller, about ¼″ long. In the first stage (instar) of growth the nymph is orange and wingless. In the second through fourth stages it is yellow and wingless. In the fifth (last) stage it is pale green and it develops wings. Nymphs produce frothy masses (spittle). The spittle may contain one or several nymphs, and is the primary indication of the presence of spittlebugs.
Size
Total length: ⅜″
Similar Species
Habitat
Parks, meadows, gardens, fields, marshes, and swamps.
Ecology
Season
Early June through late September
Behavior
Adults do not produce spittle. They are relatively slow moving, but are the champion jumpers among insects, able to jump up to 27½″ vertically. The jump is powerful, generating up to 400 gravities, and produces an audible thump.
Life Cycle
Only one generation is produced each year. In late August and September, masses of up to 18 to 51 eggs are deposited 3″ to 6″ above the ground between a leaf sheath and stem of a host plant. The eggs overwinter and hatch in late April and May. Newly hatched nymphs immediately begin feeding where they hatch, near the base of the plant. They pierce the plant and suck on the sap. Later, they move up the plant, seeking sheltered, humid areas, such as leaf sheaths and folded leaves, or producing masses of spittle on tender foliage and blossom clusters. The spittle protects the nymphs from predators and from drying out. The nymph matures in June after 5 to 8 weeks. Most infected plants wilt and become stunted, resulting in reduced yield.
Nymph Food
A wide variety of plants, but especially red clover and alfalfa.
Adult Food
Over 400 species of plants, especially red clover, alfalfa, wheat, common oat, corn, and garden strawberry.
Distribution
Sources
Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu. Accessed 9/26/2026).
Philaenus spumarius (Linnaeus, 1758) in Bánki, O., Roskov, Y., Döring, M., Ower, G., Hernández Robles, D. R., Plata Corredor, C. A., Stjernegaard Jeppesen, T., Örn, A., Pape, T., Hobern, D., Garnett, S., Little, H., DeWalt, R. E., Miller, J., Orrell, T., Aalbu, R., Abbott, J., Abreu, C., Acero P, A., et al. (2026). Catalogue of Life (2026-08-26 XR). Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgyy9
Occurrence
Widespread and common to abundant
Taxonomy
Order
Hemiptera (True Bugs, Hoppers, Aphids, and Allies)
Suborder
Auchenorrhyncha (True Hoppers)
Infraorder
Cicadomorpha (Spittlebugs, Cicadas, Leafhoppers and Treehoppers)
Superfamily
Cercopoidea (Spittlebugs and Froghoppers)
Family
Aphrophoridae (True Spittlebugs)
Subfamily
Aphrophorinae
Tribe
Philaenini
Genus
Philaenus
Subordinate Taxa
Philaenus spumarius fasciatus
Philaenus spumarius gibbus
Philaenus spumarius lateralis
Philaenus spumarius populellus
Philaenus spumarius vittatus
Synonyms
Cicada spumarius
Common Names
common froghopper
cuckoo spit
meadow froghopper
meadow spittlebug
spittlebug
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Meadow spittlebug Philaenus spurmarius
Philaenus spurmarius, meadow spittlebug, Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI.
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Meadow Spittlebug (Philaenus spumarius)
Andree Reno Sanborn
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Meadow Spittlebug (Cercopidae: Philaenus spumarius) on Grass Stem
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wesglen68
9/20/2026
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6/10/2024
Location: Albany, NY
Alfredo Colon
8/7/2022
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Alfredo Colon
8/2/2022
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Babette Kis
6/26/2022
Location: Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI
Philaenus spurmarius, meadow spittlebug, Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI.
Babette Kis
6/22/2021
Location: Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI
Philaenus spurmarius, meadow spittlebug, Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI.
Name
Date
Location: Woodbury, Minnesota
Name
Date
Location: Woodbury, Minnesota
Name
Date
Location: Woodbury, Minnesota