The Change Mariner

Insect World's High-Jump King

Newsday:

Leapin' better than lizards, jumpin' beyond Jehoshaphat, and more than hopping mad, the lowly spittlebug now ranks as nature's best jumper, a scientist in England said yesterday.

In fact, if you've got to get up and go, the spittlebug is the best example of how it's done. The reason, of course, is that spittlebugs must get the jump on hungry predators; either jump or be eaten.

According to zoologist Malcolm Burrows, scientists have overlooked the jumping prowess of this amazing little bug.

Burrows says the spittlebug, also known as the froghopper, seems to be the real record-holder for leapability - easily outhopping another hot jumper, the flea.

With legs evolved to act like potent springs, spittlebugs can, for their pencil-eraser size - 6 millimeters - jump higher, relatively, than any other creature known: more than 2 feet into the air.