Aphrophora alni (Fallén, 1805)
The Alder Spittlebug (Aphrophora alni) is the most common and widespread of the Aphrophora species and can be found across Britain and Ireland.
Description & Identification
Adults are typically 9 - 10mm long; females are somewhat larger than males.
As with all froghoppers, they have two stout spines on the outer edge of the hind tibiae, as well as several smaller spines at the tip. Nymphs are typically dark brown with a lighter-coloured abdomen. The Aphrophora genus can be recognised by their large size in comparison to other froghopper species, and the pale ridge (‘keel’) running down the midline of the head and pronotum. (Harkin & Stewart, 2019)
The four species that occur in Britain can be distinguished by their markings. The background colour of A. alni is pale to mid-brown with two distinct white patches along the margin of the wings. It can be confused with similarly-coloured variants of Philaenus spumarius, but P. spumarius is noticeably smaller and does not have the raised keel on the head. The upper surfaces of Aphrophora species are covered with tiny black pits and are shiny, contrasting with the matt surface found in Philaenus produced by a covering of minute fine white hairs. (Harkin & Stewart, 2019)
Biology & Ecology
Aphrophora alni is found across Britain and Ireland on a wide range of trees and bushes, particularly favouring alder (Alnus glutinosa) and willow (Salix) species.
Females lay eggs singly or in groups in the autumn. On
emergence the following spring, nymphs begin producing
the characteristic spittle ‘nests’ which provide protection
against predators and desiccation. Spittle can be seen from
April to early June. The nymph moults five times within the
spittle before emerging as a free-living adult. Adults can be
found between late June and October.
Classification
Synonymy
Common Names (full list)
Source: Checklist of Vermont Species
Source: NCBI Taxonomy
Source: Dyntaxa. Svensk taxonomisk databas
Source: National Checklist of all species occurring in Denmark
Source: Checklist Dutch Species Register - Nederlands Soortenregister
Source: Catalogue of Life
Source: Taxon list of animals with German names (worldwide) compiled at the SMNS
Source: Taxon list of Auchenorrhyncha from Germany compiled in the context of the GBOL project
Source: Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS)
Source: Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species - United States (Contiguous) (ver.2.0, 2022)
Source: Catalogue of Life
Source: TAXREF
Source: Checklist of Vermont Species
Source: National Checklist of all species occurring in Denmark
Source: Dyntaxa. Svensk taxonomisk databas
Additional Images
Images provided by GBIF data providers. We cannot verify that identifications are correct.
Worldwide Distribution
UK Status: Present
The Alder Spittlebug (Aphrophora alni) is the most common
and widespread of the Aphrophora species and can be found
across Britain and Ireland.
Vector Status
As with all froghoppers, A. alni feeds on the liquid contents
of the xylem vessels of its host plant. As such, it is a potential
vector of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa which has caused
the death of many olive trees in southern Europe, although
this disease has not been detected in the UK. (Harkin & Stewart, 2019)
Plant Diseases
Trivellone, V., 2019.
Hemiptera-Phytoplasma-Plant dataset (v1.2) [Data set]
Mitrovic, M., Jovic, J., Cvrkovic, T., Krstic, O., Trkulja, N., Tosevski, I. 2012. .
Characterisation of a 16SrII phytoplasma strain associated with bushy stunt of hawkweed oxtongue (Picris hieracioides) in south-eastern Serbia and the role of the leafhopper Neoaliturus fenestratus (Deltocephalinae) as a natural vector. European Journal of Palnt Pathology, 134(3): 647-660
Carraro, L., Ferrini, F., Ermacora, P., Loi, N., Martini, M., Osler, R. 2004. .
Macropsis mendax as a vector of elm yellows phytoplasma of Ulmus species. Plant Pathology, 53: 90-95
Phytoplasmas
Mitrovic, M., Jovic, J., Cvrkovic, T., Krstic, O., Trkulja, N., Tosevski, I. 2012. Characterisation of a 16SrII phytoplasma strain associated with bushy stunt of hawkweed oxtongue (Picris hieracioides) in south-eastern Serbia and the role of the leafhopper Neoaliturus fenestratus (Deltocephalinae) as a natural vector. European Journal of Palnt Pathology, 134(3): 647-660
Carraro, L., Ferrini, F., Ermacora, P., Loi, N., Martini, M., Osler, R. 2004. Macropsis mendax as a vector of elm yellows phytoplasma of Ulmus species. Plant Pathology, 53: 90-95
* Citations of Phytoplasma occurrance in Aphrophora alni (Fallén, 1805) have been exctracted from the database of Hemiptera-Phytoplasma-Plant (HPP) biological interactions worldwide (Valeria Trivellone. (2019). Hemiptera-Phytoplasma-Plant dataset (v1.2) [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2532738).
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