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Milberger's Nursery and Landscaping
3920 North Loop 1604 E.
San Antonio, TX 78247
210.497.3760
nursery@milbergersa.com

Open 9 to 6 Mon. through Sat.
and 10 to 5 on Sun.


Three exits east of 281, inside of 1604
Next to the Diamond Shamrock station
Please click map for more detailed map and driving directions.


Click here




There's SNOT or MUSCUS dripping out of my sunflower!!

The film is under the flower and on the leaf stems.
If you look close there is a congregation of little somethings at the tip of the muscus.
Upon closer observation these insects look like aphids.

Some are BIG!

Some are in groups!!

Some are little and in groups!!

QUESTION:
OH, HELL NO!!!!!!!!!!! WE GOT SNOTTY SUNFLOWERS IN SANANTONIO!!!!!!!!! Mike, we have gotten several calls about snot dripping out of sunflowers!!! Is this an aphid? I don't think it is spittle bug; it
may be snot-tle bug!!!

======================================

ANSWER:
Jerry, I've never had this issue described in just this colorful way before, but you are actually close to the official name for this critter.

The "spittle bug" (family Cercopidae) provides its own high humidity environment (and may also protect itself from enemies) by creating a frothy, slimy mixture of its anal excretions and a mucilaginous product from special glands on its abdomen. There are a number of species that feed on specialized host plants. The most common species, Philaenus spumaria, the two lined spittlebug, can be a pest of clovers and turfgrass in the southeastern states. I have not heard of any really economically important spittle bugs in Texas. The "spit" is fairly long-lasting and will even survive a heavy rain.