"Cuckoo spit", on various plants, is actually frothy froghopper farts used as a defence against predators. On the down side the spittlebug larvae are drinking plant sap but on the up side the adults provide food for high flying birds such as swifts (and UK froghoppers, Philaenus spumarius and Cercopis vulnerata don't spread plant diseases). Called cuckoo spit because it appears in the same season as the migratory bird.

Memorable quote from the Natural History Museum who appear to have unusual coffee machines: "The nymph makes the foam by extruding the plant sap out of its anus and frothing it - a little like a cappuccino maker." /tmi = toot museum information

#30DaysWild #froghoppers #bugs #nature

Common Froghopper, Philaenus spumarius Canon 7D EFS 60 2.8 f/2.8 1/320 iso:240 Celakovice-Jirina, Czech Republic June 14, 2023 #Froghoppers #Hemiptera #insects #pest #invertebrates #macro

Here we go again. I've seen a couple of shares now of a Sun article about #CuckooSpit, the foamy froth a plant-feeding insect secrètes to hid in, headlined something like "This TOXIC FOAM will KILL YOU TO DEATH, DESTROY YOUR GARDEN and EAT YOUR EYEBALLS!" and it really, really won't I promise

#FrogHoppers #Xylella

https://tangledbankforaging.uk/2019/06/14/dont-blame-the-bug/

Black-and-red #froghoppers (#Cercopis vulnerata) mating

#photography #photo #nature #naturephotography #mft #microfourthirds #darktable #stacking #zerenestacker #macrophotography #macro #nature #naturephotography #animals #wildlife #insects #cercopisvulnerata #zikaden #blutzikade