This event is the first of our Sussex Research series. In this series, University of Sussex PhD students and Post-Docs are invited to share their exciting research with the Buzz Club, providing new information on the animals you share your garden with. 

Susmita Aown is a final-year PhD at the University of Sussex studying the food choice of an insect known as meadow spittlebug. Meadow spittlebugs are known for their cuckoo-spit, which can be seen on most plants in summer across the UK. Susmita works with lavender and vine growers in southern England to find out if meadow spittlebugs like feeding on any specific lavender and grapevine species and varieties.

In this talk, Susmita will be talking the insect she is investigating, the Meadow spittlebug. Meadow spittlebugs, also known as froghoppers, are common garden insects that are famous for creating the frothy white 'cuckoo spit' on plants. They come in many different attractive colour forms and sip sap, creating foam, from about 1340 different plants! Meadow spittlebugs spread a bacterial pathogen, Xyllela fastidiosa, to plants while drinking from them. Susmita Aown is investigating the food plant preference of Meadow spittlebug in her PhD at the University of Sussex. 

Any queries, please contact: 
buzzclub@sussex.ac.uk