After a diligent search, Anna and I found that it is the Spittle bug which might be attacking our rose bush, eating away the leaves, flowers and buds. I still do not have a picture of the adult bug although I remember seeing it a few times. It is the sight of the foam on two of our plants which alerted me that it might be the Spittle bug that is attacking the rose plants.
Beneath the foam the adult bug might be present or the nymph. The nymph goes out of the foam and returns for its metamorphosis.
The nymph in this photo on the rose leaf is probably in the in between stages of development. What it does is what you see below.
This adult Spittle bug survives many seasons and reproduces. It is the sighting of the foam that alerts us about the impending danger of Spittle Bug invasion! Usually they survive on the sap of the plant and do not consume leaves, buds and flowers. But this might be an exception as an adaptation to survive.
It is easy to get rid of them by watering the plants with hose pipe. They then move away elsewhere.
That is what we shall do now!
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
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