Pine and cone spittlebugs

The pine spittlebug, Aphrophora permutata Uhler, and the cone spittlebug, Aphrophora canadensis Walley (Homoptera: Cercopidae), are sometimes pests of pines in nurseries. Western Forest Insects (Furniss and Carolin, 1977)states that pine spittlebug adults are found on pine, Douglas fir, hemlock, spruce, and fir. A. permutata is listed as a vector of Pierce's virus disease of grapevines. The cone spittlebug was detected on a landscape ornamental, Mugo pine, Pinus mugo, in Idaho. The nymphs congregate and feed only on the cones (Bales and Furniss).

The adults are mottled brown. The nymphs have a light tan abdoment with a dark thorax.

For the pine spittlebug, A. permutata, the eggs, are embedded in the pine needles in rows, hatch in February and March. The nymphs hatch and drop from the conifer host to feed on surrounding shrubs and forbs. There are five instars or stages of the nymphs before they mature to the adult stage with fully developed wings around May. There is one generation per year. For cone spittlebugs, eggs are laid at the bases of needles, beneath the fascicle sheaths starting in mid-August. There the eggs overwinter. A. canadensis nymphs were found in late April and matured to the adult stage by mid-July. Mating occurred in late summer. Adults could be found until mid-October.

Resources

Bales, F.M. and M. M. Furniss. Bionomics of the Cone Spittlebug, Aphrophora canadensis (Homoptera: Cercopidae) on Mugo pine in Idaho.

Nice shots of the adult western pine spittlebug at the Bugs of Mackie: Douglas-fir spittlebug blog.

Furniss, R.L. and V. M. Carolin. 1977. Western Forest Insects. USDA, Forest Service. Misc. Pub. No. 1339. November 1977. 654 pp.

Wilson, L. 1991. Pine Spittlebug: Its Ecology and Management. USDA Forest Service. Agriculture Handbook 695. October 1991. <accessed 30 March 2016>

 

First publication

Last revision: 19 April 2016

Author: R.L. Rosetta, Extension Nursery Integrated Pest Management, Department of Horticulture, Oregon State University/NWREC.