Happy summer/'21 on our north,hemisphere of our dear globe, folks. For years I've been wanting to dabble with the ciliate commensals in meadow spittle bug nests, ahh yes..things to do hamper my intent for : 'meadow spittle bug bubble nest ciliates' microscopy...sighh.
With meadow plant growth over five (5 feet) feet height this 6/21..mowing must be done...yet as I assume to plow on and mow...so many 'meadow spittle bug nests' on a variety of host plants...and you guessed it..so little time for microscopy world views.
I avoided vast patches of over grown meadow where spittle bug bubble nests were huge..yet by 6/26/21..time to regain control of our meadow...so doggie and I collected the few remaining bubble nests for microscopy...then all meadow mowed to a comfy carpet texture.
I pride our meadows 'pollinator friendly' diverse assemblage of flower species...but I can only use that dodge to not mow until middle-June of our growth season...this year I insisted microscopy of spittle bug bubble nests a reason to only partially mow the meadow.
Please enjoy the rich community of ciliates which inhabit spittle bug nests during the forty (40) , to (52) days of these nymphs five moults/ five instars to adult: frog hoppers.
Pretty please snip a spittle bug bubbles nest from your garden next year and observe the protozoa inhabiting the foam bubble nest