Common Raintree Spittlebug

Ptyelus grossus · Order: Hemiptera · Family: Aphrophoridae

Also called: Tipuana Spittlebug

No source yet on danger. We have no source yet on whether it bites, stings or damages anything.
Common Raintree Spittlebug
Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA

They feed on many plants, especially trees such as Tipuana, Peltophorum and Lonchocarpus, but also on Grevillea, Rhus, Acacia, Vangueria and Eucalyptus. The nymphs are gregarious and are preyed upon by the wasp Gorytes natalensis, the fly Leucophenga and other carnivorous insects.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it lives

They feed on a variety of plants.

Source: Wikipedia

What it eats

Favoured trees are Tipuana, Peltophorum and Lonchocarpus, but they also eat Grevillea, Rhus, Acacia, Vangueria and Eucalyptus.

Source: Wikipedia

More photos

Common Raintree Spittlebug photo 2
Photo: Rotational, Public domain
Common Raintree Spittlebug photo 3
Photo: Paul venter, CC BY-SA
Common Raintree Spittlebug photo 4
Photo: Rotational, Public domain
Common Raintree Spittlebug photo 5
Photo: Karen Pagel, CC BY-SA

Questions people ask

What plants does it feed on?

It favours trees such as Tipuana, Peltophorum and Lonchocarpus, but also feeds on Grevillea, Rhus, Acacia, Vangueria and Eucalyptus.

Source: Wikipedia

Are the nymphs solitary or social?

The nymphs are gregarious, staying together in groups.

Source: Wikipedia

Same family (Aphrophoridae)

Meadow SpittlebugMeadow SpittlebugPhilaenus spumariusCan spread germs or diseaseAlder SpittlebugAlder SpittlebugAphrophora alniDiamondback SpittlebugDiamondback SpittlebugLepyronia quadrangularisDamages trees, gardens or crops

Sources

  • Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptyelus_grossus

Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia

Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.

How this page works

This is one bug's fact sheet. The colored box at the top says whether it is dangerous. Sections below cover how to recognize it, whether it is a pest, and how to deal with it. The US map shows which states have records; tap a state to see other bugs there.

Every fact on Bug FAQ comes from a named source (university extension sites, government agencies, GBIF, iNaturalist, Wikipedia). The source is linked next to each section. If we have no source for something, we leave it out.