Spittlebugs attack all turfgrass species, but centipedegrass is the most susceptible. Adults also feed on ornamental plants, especially hollies. Both adults and nymphs suck juices from the grass with their piercing-sucking mouthparts. They remove a lot of fluid from the plants so they can be surrounded by the frothy spittle mass. Adult twolined spittlebugs are black with red eyes and legs and have two orange stripes across their wings. They are about 1/4 inch long. The nymphs are yellow or creamy in color with a brown head. They are surrounded by a mass of white frothy spittle that they excrete for protection. Adults are most active in early morning and hide near the soil surface during the heat of the day.
*Photo Credit – University of Florida edis.ifas.ufl.edu
