Spittlebugs

[pepper]

I was just reading an interesting article about spitlebugs being a big problem in Europe causing xylella bacterial disease killing plants. Apparently scientists are monitoring it in Britain asking gardeners to report the foam if they see any. They haven't found any of the xylella yet but are worried it may spread there.

Has anyone here from UK heard about this? And I am curious if there are many spittlebugs there? Here I could probably count 5 for every square foot there are so many in the back area of my yard I don't often trim.

 

[pepper]

This is the back of my property where I let it grow a bit wild. There are as many spittlebugs as there are the wildflowers.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I haven't heard of a problem yet. We should be safe from such things because of the Channel, but some idiot always seems to bring them across, from Dutch elm disease, to ash die back, to bee parasites, to Oriental hornets. Oh for the good old days when we were this side, the foreigners the other side, and we just went and raided them from time to time.

The one that has crossed , but is not round here yet , is the Cypress aphid that destroys leylandii hedges. You can bring that on anytime, I hate leylandii. It is dead to anything else, but a mixed native hedge is home to hundreds of things.

 

[vegiokragrapevibrant]

That's some serious bug talk you've got there! That's definitely something to keep an eye on. It's cool that scientists in Britain are actively monitoring the situation and asking gardeners to report any foamy sightings. So far, they haven't found any xylella, but better safe than sorry, right? As for spittlebugs in the UK, I'm not sure about the exact numbers, but they sure sound like quite the crew in your yard! Maybe the back area of your yard is their secret hangout spot. Keep that trim on the down-low and enjoy the buzzing ecosystem you've got going on back there!