Meadow Spittlebug

Abstract

The meadow spittlebug is a serious pest of strawberries throughout North America and Europe. It is present in most of the U.S. east of the Mississippi River and along the Pacific coast, but is a serious problem in areas of high relative humidity, such as the northeastern U.S. and Oregon. Spittlebugs feed on over 400 species of agricultural plants. They get their name from the frothy spittle they produce as nymphs to protect themselves. Meadow spittlebugs should not be confused with rhubarb spittlebugs, which are about 2X the length of meadow spittlebugs, and are not a pest of strawberry.