froghopper

Find a plant that has globules of white frothy liquid on it at this time of year and you'll know you have froghoppers or spittlebugs in the garden. We tend to refer to this secreted material as ''cuckoo spit''; it is actually produced by the froghopper nymph to give it protection. If you remove a blob of this froth carefully with your fingers you should discover the small, green, sap- sucking insect.

The adult froghoppers, which live openly on the plant from about the end of July, have similar characteristics to frogs, with conspicuous eyes. If disturbed, they will jump using their strong back legs. The most common froghopper is Philaenus spumarius and is only around a sixth of an inch (4mm) in length.

They can be found on the stems and leaves of a wide range of decorative plants, existing on trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals. Particularly susceptible plants include roses, lavender, chrysanthemums, phlox and even raspberries.

The good news is that, although these little creatures are sap-feeding, as a general rule the damage to the actual plant is minimal. It tends to be when this pest feeds on the new shoot tips that the growth may show signs of distortion or perhaps wilting.

However, the froth produced by the nymphs can look rather unsightly and in small colonies this can be removed by hand. If, however, the problem is more widespread, rather than resorting to a form of suitable chemical control why not simply spray your plants with a reasonably strong jet of water from the garden hose?