European alder spittlebug nymphs protect themselves with a layer of bubbles

A small team of botanists, biologists and naturalists affiliated with several German institutions discovered that European alder spittlebug nymphs protect themselves with a layer of bubbles that they generate themselves. The article is published in Journal of the Royal Society interface.

Spittlebugs, more commonly known as leafhoppers, are a type of insect that jump from plant to plant to find food. In this new effort, the research team focused on specimens in the nymph stage, when they are most vulnerable to predators.

To learn more about the insects, the researchers went into the field and collected several specimens. They also collected several specimens of ants and spiders, known to feed on spittlebug nymphs, when the opportunity arises.

To protect itself, the spittlebug nymph emits a soap bubble-like material from its anus, thereby covering itself. The team found that the coating protects the nymph in several ways. The first and most obvious is the obstacle it represents.

Predators must make their way through the layer of bubbles to reach the nymph inside. Second, the bubble coat is sticky, making it difficult for predators to access the nymph. It also hinders the movement of predators due to its thickness and stickiness. Finally, the research team discovered that the bubbles also ward off bacteria, viruses and fungi.

By studying the means by which bubbles are made, the research team discovered that the nymphs had evolved a very efficient bubble factory. After consuming the sap, their main food source, the xylem passes through the digestive tract and some is excreted while the rest is converted into the material used to make moss. Both are ejected through the anus, but at different times.

When bubbles form, the syrupy material is mixed with air. The nymph then moves both her body and her nozzle-like anus to apply the bubbles to her body, thus covering herself completely.

Researchers also found that the bubble material evaporates as quickly as water and becomes stickier, making it increasingly difficult for predators. They noted that ants that failed in their attempts to reach a bubble-covered nymph took several minutes to eliminate the material from their bodies before leaving the scene.

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