How to Identify & Treat Spittlebugs
Published: May 21, 2026
Spittlebugs are sap-feeding insects best known for the frothy white masses, resembling spit, that their nymphs produce while feeding at the base of grass plants. The two-lined spittlebug is the species that matters most to lawns, and it is a major pest of centipedegrass in the humid Southeast, where it also feeds on St. Augustinegrass and bermudagrass. The nymphs hide inside the protective foam at the soil line and suck plant sap, while the adults feed higher on the plant. Heavy feeding stipples and streaks the grass yellow before whole areas turn brown. Spittlebugs thrive in warm, humid weather and in lawns with heavy thatch, so managing thatch and moisture is central to keeping their numbers down.
What Spittlebugs Look Like
The easiest way to identify a spittlebug infestation is the spittle itself: a frothy, white, bubbly mass clinging to grass stems and crowns near the soil line. Tucked inside that foam is the nymph, a soft, pale yellow to orange immature insect that is rarely seen unless the froth is parted. The adults are far more visible. A two-lined spittlebug adult is a stout, black, leafhopper-like insect about 1/3 inch long, marked with two distinctive orange to red stripes running across its wings. Adults are quick to hop and fly when the lawn is disturbed, often noticed in numbers while mowing.
Quick identification
- Size: Adults about 1/3 inch long; nymphs smaller
- Color: Nymphs pale yellow to orange; adults black with two orange-red stripes
- Stage: Sap-feeding nymph and leafhopper-like adult
Visual markers
- • Frothy white spittle masses on grass at the soil line
- • Pale yellow to orange nymphs hidden inside the froth
- • Black adults about 1/3 inch long
- • Two orange to red stripes across the adult wings
- • Adults hop and fly when the lawn is walked or mowed
- • Most abundant in humid weather and thatchy turf
Damage Symptoms
Spittlebug feeding injures grass as both nymphs and adults pull sap from the plant. The first sign is often a stippled or speckled look to the blades, followed by yellow streaking. As feeding continues, affected turf fades and browns, and in heavy infestations large areas of centipedegrass can decline. Centipedegrass is the most sensitive of the common lawn grasses, but St. Augustinegrass and bermudagrass are also fed upon. The presence of numerous spittle masses at the soil line and clouds of hopping adults during mowing usually accompany the discoloration and confirm that spittlebugs, rather than disease or drought, are responsible.
- •Stippled or speckled discoloration on grass blades
- •Yellow streaking that progresses to browning
- •Browned, declining patches in heavy infestations
- •Numerous frothy spittle masses at the soil line
- •Clouds of adults hopping up during mowing
- •Damage concentrated in thatchy, humid areas of the lawn
Lifecycle & Active Season
In the Southeast the two-lined spittlebug typically completes two generations per year. The insect overwinters as eggs tucked in thatch and at the base of grass plants. These hatch in spring into nymphs, which settle at the soil line, produce their protective spittle, and feed on sap as they develop. Maturing nymphs become adults that feed, mate, and lay the eggs of the second generation. A second round of nymphs and adults follows through the summer. Heavy thatch is important to this cycle because it provides sheltered, humid conditions for egg survival and for the moisture-dependent nymphs, which is why thatchy lawns support larger populations.
| Region | Activity window |
|---|---|
| Southern US | Two generations active from about June through September, peaking in hot, humid mid to late summer. |
| Central US | Limited activity at the northern edge of the range; mainly a concern in the warm, humid Southeast. |
| Northern US | Not a significant lawn pest; the two-lined spittlebug is concentrated in the southeastern states. |
When to Treat
Spittlebug activity peaks in the hot, humid months of summer, roughly June through September, with two generations producing two waves of nymphs. UF/IFAS Extension emphasizes cultural management, particularly reducing heavy thatch, as the foundation of spittlebug control, since thatch shelters eggs and the moisture-dependent nymphs. University of Georgia Extension notes that centipedegrass lawns should be scouted through summer and that insecticide treatment, when justified, should be directed at the soil line where the nymphs feed within their spittle. Clemson Cooperative Extension recommends timing any insecticide application to active nymph and adult periods and pairing it with thatch and moisture management for lasting results.
Treatment Options
Preventive
- • Dethatch or core aerate to reduce the heavy thatch spittlebugs depend on
- • Avoid overwatering and excess nitrogen that create humid, lush conditions
- • Mow at the recommended height and remove clippings if thatch is heavy
- • Scout centipedegrass through summer for spittle masses and adults
Curative
- • Apply bifenthrin or another labeled pyrethroid for heavy infestations
- • Direct the application at the soil line where nymphs feed within the spittle
- • Time treatment to periods of active nymph and adult presence
Biological
- • Conserve general predatory insects by limiting unnecessary spraying
- • Rely on cultural thatch and moisture management as the primary control
Regional Variation
The two-lined spittlebug is overwhelmingly a pest of the warm, humid Southeast. Its range is tied to the climate that centipedegrass favors and to the high humidity that the moisture-dependent nymphs need, so problems are concentrated across the lower-South states. Centipedegrass lawns there see the most serious damage, with St. Augustinegrass and bermudagrass also affected. Toward the northern and western edges of the warm-season turf zone, spittlebug pressure drops off, and in the cool-season North the insect is not a meaningful lawn pest. Within the Southeast, the lawns that suffer most are those with heavy thatch and consistently moist, humid conditions.
DIY vs Professional
Spittlebug management is largely a matter of good lawn care, which puts it well within a homeowner's reach. The single most effective step, reducing thatch through dethatching or core aeration, along with sensible watering, is something most homeowners can do or arrange. When an insecticide is warranted, products are widely available, though directing them at the soil line takes some care. A professional is worth considering when a centipedegrass lawn has persistent heavy infestations, when thatch is severe enough to need machine dethatching, or when a homeowner wants the cultural and chemical pieces combined into a coordinated management program.
How to Prevent Spittlebugs
The two-lined spittlebug is closely tied to thatch and humidity, so long-term prevention centers on cultural practices that dry out its preferred habitat. The nymphs shelter in frothy white spittle masses at the soil line, and thick thatch gives them the moist, protected microclimate they need. On centipedegrass in the humid Southeast, where this pest is worst, keep thatch under half an inch through proper mowing, sensible fertility, and dethatching or core aeration when buildup gets heavy. Avoid overfertilizing centipedegrass; excess nitrogen produces lush growth and thatch that favor spittlebugs while also stressing a grass that prefers lean conditions. Water deeply and infrequently in the morning so the canopy and soil surface dry out during the day rather than staying continuously damp. Scout from early summer into fall by walking the lawn in the morning and watching for spittle masses near the base of the grass, and note that disturbed adults hop and fly readily. Keeping thatch thin year after year is what holds populations below damaging levels far better than spraying alone.
Lawn Recovery and Outlook
Centipedegrass damaged by two-lined spittlebugs usually recovers, but slowly, because centipedegrass is naturally a low, slow-growing turf. Feeding causes yellowing and stippled, off-color patches rather than outright dead turf in most cases, and those areas regain color over several weeks once the nymphs are controlled and growing conditions stay favorable. Support recovery with deep, infrequent watering and only modest fertility, since centipedegrass resents heavy feeding and pushing it hard can do more harm than the insects did. Where feeding was intense enough to thin the stand, centipedegrass spreads by stolons to fill gaps, but that lateral recovery can take much of a growing season, and large bare areas may warrant plugging or sprigging. Because the pest favors thatchy, humid lawns, damage tends to recur in the same yards each summer unless the underlying thatch and moisture conditions are corrected, so pair any recovery effort with ongoing thatch management.
What to Apply
Product categories and active ingredients commonly used against spittlebugs. Always read and follow the product label, which is the legally binding instruction for rate and timing.
| Product type | Active ingredient | Examples | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curative pyrethroid | Bifenthrin | Talstar | For heavy infestations; direct the spray at the soil line. |
| Cultural control | Dethatching and core aeration (no chemical) | Power dethatcher or core aerator | Reducing thatch is the single most important measure. |
| Cultural control | Irrigation and fertility management (no chemical) | Adjusted watering and nitrogen practices | Avoiding excess moisture and lush growth lowers spittlebug pressure. |
Extension Sources
Treatment timing and identification in this guide draw on public guidance from US university cooperative extension services.
- UF/IFAS Extension: Cultural management of spittlebugs and the role of thatch.
- University of Georgia Extension: Spittlebug damage in centipedegrass and scouting guidance.
- Clemson Cooperative Extension: Timing of spittlebug treatment in southeastern lawns.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the white frothy stuff on my grass?
That foam is spittle produced by spittlebug nymphs. The immature insects feed on plant sap at the soil line and surround themselves with a frothy mass that protects them from drying out and from predators. If you part the foam you will find a small, pale yellow to orange nymph feeding inside it.
Why do I have spittlebugs in my lawn?
Spittlebugs thrive in warm, humid weather and in lawns with heavy thatch. Thatch shelters their overwintering eggs and gives the moisture-dependent nymphs the humid conditions they need. Centipedegrass lawns in the Southeast that are thatchy and kept consistently moist provide ideal conditions and tend to support the largest populations.
How do I get rid of spittlebugs without spraying?
Focus on cultural control. Reduce heavy thatch through dethatching or core aeration, since thatch is central to spittlebug survival. Avoid overwatering and excess nitrogen that create humid, lush growth, and mow at the recommended height. These steps lower spittlebug numbers and often keep them below damaging levels without insecticide.
Which grasses do spittlebugs damage most?
Centipedegrass is the most sensitive and the grass where spittlebug damage is most serious. St. Augustinegrass and bermudagrass are also fed upon and can show injury in heavy infestations. The problem is concentrated in the humid Southeast, where these warm-season grasses are common and the climate favors the insect.
When should I treat for spittlebugs?
Scout centipedegrass through the summer, roughly June through September, when the two generations are active. If spittle masses and adults are numerous and the turf is discoloring, treat during periods of active nymphs and adults. Direct any insecticide at the soil line where the nymphs feed, and pair it with thatch and moisture management.
What do adult spittlebugs look like?
Adult two-lined spittlebugs are stout, leafhopper-like insects about a third of an inch long. They are black with two distinctive orange to red stripes running across the wings. Adults are quick to hop and fly when the lawn is disturbed, so you often notice them rising up in numbers while mowing a thatchy centipedegrass lawn.
What is the white foamy spittle in my lawn?
That froth is produced by spittlebug nymphs, which feed on plant sap at the soil line and whip air into their fluid waste to create a protective foam. The spittle shields the soft nymph from drying out and from predators. Finding these masses near the base of the grass, especially on centipedegrass in summer, confirms an active spittlebug population. The foam itself does not harm the lawn, but it signals nymphs that will mature into damaging adults.
Why is my centipedegrass hit harder than my neighbor's bermudagrass?
Two-lined spittlebugs strongly prefer centipedegrass and the thatchy, humid conditions it often develops. Centipedegrass tends to build a spongy thatch layer that gives nymphs the moist shelter they need, and the grass shows feeding damage readily. Bermudagrass is less favored and more tolerant of feeding. If your lawn is centipedegrass in the Southeast, expect more spittlebug pressure and make thatch control a routine part of care.
When should I scout for spittlebugs during the year?
In the humid Southeast, begin scouting in early summer and continue into fall, since two-lined spittlebugs commonly produce more than one generation per season. Walk the lawn in the morning when spittle masses are easiest to see at the base of the grass, and brush through the canopy to flush hopping adults. Catching the first generation early keeps later, larger broods from building, so regular morning checks through the warm months are worthwhile.