Spit bugs on herbs?

Question

Does anyone have any ways of getting rid of spit bugs on herbs and veges?

Answer 1

Several sites say that when spit bugs feed on plants, the plants can become deformed, & some plants can even turn brown and die.
When the nymphs hatch (in early spring), they find a host plant and attach to that plant so they can get their nourishment from the plant's sap...sucking out the plant's juices.
http://www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/4TH/KKHP/1insects/spittlebug.html
"A strong stream of water will wash the froth away, exposing the nymph to predators or drying out. However, this will not eliminate the insects as they quickly resume frothing once they climb back onto a suitable plant. They can require control on strawberries when numerous (and particularly during dry weather) because their feeding reduces yield and causes stunted fruit... Adults continue to feed through the summer, migrating to new hosts as foliage dries out."
http://www.hort.wisc.edu/mastergardener/Features/insects/spittlebug/spittlebugs.htm

Some recommendations on this Organic Gardening site are:
MATURE shrubs & ornamentals may only need a strong spray of water to control spit bugs as they don’t inflict much damage on mature plants.
Hand picking a mass of spittle will also remove the bugs.
Insecticidal Soap Spray on spit bug nymphs destroys them before they become adults; or use Dormant Oil Spray in the fall to prevent any overwintering spit bug eggs from hatching.
Since they need moist humid conditions to survive & they like to breed in the grass, you can dethatch and fertilize your lawn (In the spring) to keep your spit bug population down to a minimum.
http://organicgardensite.com/?p=67

Here's a forum discussion about experiences with blasting with water. It's effective in some cases, but not in others. Plants are more likely to incur spit bug infestation & damage when they are stressed. Also... where your herbs are planted can make a big difference:
"I planted 2 rosemary bushes and the one which gets less sun has spit bugs all over. The other one which gets really hot afternoon sun is fine."
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/swest/msg1222095416753.html

Good Luck! Hope this is helpful.

Answer 2

Spit Bugs

Answer 3

Just give them a good spraying with the garden hose. You wouldn't want to use a pesticide on edible plants anyway. They pose no harm to the plant, other than an unsightly bubbly mess. I just remove some of the bubbles and snatch the puny lime green maggots by hand, or if I'm feeling lazy that day, I will shoot them with a blast of water from the hose. This does the trick and I've never seen a plant die or become unhealthy from spittle bug problems. Hope this answers your question.

**Billy Ray**