Q: In the past few days, I have noticed a white, foamy spittle on the stems of some of my plants. Do you have any idea what is causing this?

A: Theresa Schrum replies: “Your description is accurate…. as the name of the insect is the spittle bug. You are observing the larval stage which is not usually harmful. A spray from the hose is usually enough to remove them. This web site has more information:”

Spittle Bugs