Froghopper

Record-breaking jump

The common froghopper holds the world record for jumping performance relative to body size. A 6 mm froghopper can jump 70 cm vertically — about 115 times its body length. To achieve this, it stores energy in a compressed muscle-and-cuticle spring system, then releases it in under a millisecond. The acceleration reaches 400 g, far exceeding the roughly 9 g limit at which humans lose consciousness. The previous jumping record holder was the flea, which can jump 130 times its body length but at much lower mass and g-force.

Cuckoo spit

In spring and early summer, white frothy masses appear on plant stems — known as “cuckoo spit” (once believed to be cuckoo spittle, timed to the arrival of cuckoos in May). Inside each mass lives a single froghopper nymph. The froth is produced by the nymph forcing air through its abdomen secretion, creating a foam that surrounds and conceals the developing insect, protecting it from predators and desiccation while it feeds on plant sap.

Diet and impact

Froghoppers are sap-feeders, extracting xylem and phloem from a wide variety of host plants. Heavy infestations can cause minor wilting and distortion. The common froghopper feeds on over 400 plant species. In North America, the meadow spittlebug (Philaenus spumarius) is considered an agricultural pest on strawberries and legumes.

Adult appearance

Adult froghoppers are squat, broad-headed little bugs that jump readily when disturbed — hence “frog” in the name. They are cryptically patterned in brown, grey, and black, and are extremely variable in colour pattern.