Is that spit?
Nope! It just looks like it. It's actually the result of an insect sipping up plant sap and then churning some of its own bodily secretions into a frothy mass.
What insect, you might ask? A spittlebug, of course.
If we could part the bubbles here, we would see a tiny little creature, resembling a frog.
These spittlebug nymphs create masses of bubbles to hide in, from predators. And it works, too. Additionally, this saliva look-alike helps maintain an optimum temperature for the little critters, and keeps them from drying out.
Another name for a spittlebug is froghopper. Froghoppers, by the way, can jump further, relative to their size and weight, than fleas. Are you impressed? And the foamy mass? That is called cuckoo spit, frog spit, and snake spit. Take your pick.
You are so good at story telling! I need to work on my interpretive skills adn this is giving me some ideas :)
ReplyDeleteNow my head is getting big! Thank you, Ashley. I'm glad you thinks so, and I will keep on trying to do a good job.
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