62 



But the use of paraffin should be avoided if possible, 

 and I believe that spraying several times with soft-soap 

 and quassia when the larvae are appearing in August 

 will prove quite as effectual. The Golden-crested Wren 

 was found to prey upon this pest in Devon. 



Frog-Hopper (Cercopidae). The Cuckoo-Spit Insect 



(Philaenus spumarius). 



The curious frothy white substance so frequently 

 seen on Roses, which is popularly called Cuckoo-spit, is 

 caused by an insect one of the Cercopidae or Frog-flies, 

 known as Philaenus spumarius (Plate VIII., Fig. 5). 



There are seven of these " Frog-flies " found in 

 Britain. One occurs on Alders (Aphrophora aini), another 

 on Willows (A. salicis). Of the four Philaenas three 

 occur on low plants and herbage. The only one found 

 on the Rose by myself and sent by correspondents is the 

 one mentioned here. 



If we remove the frothy substance we find living in 

 the moisture a yellowish creature, which is rather active. 

 This is the young Frog-hopper. 



It is found on other plants than the Rose, for instance 

 in large numbers on hawthorn hedges. 



The damage to Roses in some years is very great. 

 The insects take up their abode at the base of the 

 blossoms before they open, and kill them by the constant 

 sucking of the sap. The result is the buds die and turn 

 brown. Others are found at the base of the leaves and 

 on the young shoots. The leaves fade and the whole 

 shoots die away when several insects occur close together. 



