95 



FROG-HOPPERS (Apkrofhora spumarid) 



1 Insects of mysterious birth 

 Sudden struck my wondering sight, 

 Doubtless brought by moisture forth, 

 Hid in knots of spittle white ; 

 Backs of leaves the burden bear, 

 Where the sunshine cannot stray ; 

 41 Wood seers" called, that wet declare, 

 So the knowing shepherds say.' 



Clare. 



The enjoyment of our rambles in woodland and 

 garden paths is somewhat marred just now by 

 quantities of a white frothy substance hanging on 

 the grass stems, which clings to our clothes and 

 is decidedly unpleasant. It has long been known 

 by the name of cuckoo-spit, although it has nothing 

 whatever to do with the cuckoo or any other bird. 

 The French evidently credit the frogs with this 

 production, as their name for it is crachat de grenouilU> 

 or frog-spit ; but this is also wide of the mark. 



If we examine some of the froth, we find a 

 greenish white insect in the centre of each mass of 

 it; this is a soft feeble creature, with small black 

 eyes, the larva of the common frog-hopper. 



The perfect insect will be found in summer 

 by thousands in hay fields and pastures. It has 

 marvellous leaping powers, as great in proportion 

 to its size as though a man could spring four 

 hundred yards up into the air. 



The generic name Aphrophora means foam- 

 bearing, in allusion to the little masses of froth 

 in which the larvae abide. 



The female insect lays her eggs on grass stems, 

 and when they are hatched the larvae drive their 



