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Latin Name: Peromyscus spp.
Common Name: White-footed/Deer Mice
Latin Family Name: Cricetidae
Other Names: Deer mouse
Pest Details
Origin:55 different species of this genus are found in the U.S. and are native animals. They have gained notoriety in recent years due to the associations with Hantavirus (deer mice) and Lyme Disease (white-footed mouse), and 2 distinct species are generally given the two common names. Deer mice (P. maniculatus) are found throughout the U.S. except for the southeast, and the White-footed Mouse (P. leucopus) is found throughout the U.S. except for the West Coast states.
Biology:
Normally residents of outdoor habitats these mice also commonly invade structures, particularly in cold weather and at times when human residents are not present. This association with humans brings them close enough that their parasites and their waste excretions are contacted by humans, initiating the potential
Latin Name: Neotoma sp.
Common Name: Woodrats
Latin Family Name: Cricetidae
Other Names: Trade rat, packrats
Pest Details
Origin:These are native rodents in the U.S. and occur throughout much of the country with the exception of the New England states and some areas around the Great Lakes.
Biology:
While these are primarily outdoor rodents, they have become more prevalent indoors in structures in the southwest states. Once inside they have the same tendencies for gnawing and property destruction as do the more common structural rats and mice. It derives its name of pack rat from its desire to collect many different kinds of small objects and store them in its “middens”, along with food supplies and other materials. Small shiny objects are particularly attractive to wood rats, who may leave what they previously were carrying in exchange for the new item (“trade” rat). Adults live from less than a year up to 3 years in a
Latin Name: Acizzia uncatoides
Common Name: Acacia Psyllid
Latin Family Name: Psyllidae
Other Names: Albizia psyllid, jumping plant lice
Pest Details
Origin:Native to Australia, where many acacia plants originated, carrying their associated insect pests when imported. Now found throughout the world in association with Acacia and Albizia, including in Hawaii on Koa trees.
Biology:
As many as 8 generations of this insect per year may occur, particularly along coastal areas where winter temperatures remain mild. The insect feeds on foliage, buds, and soft shoots of acacia and albizia. Eggs are deposited on the foliage and hatch to the mobile, wingless nymphs. There will be 5 nymph instars and then the winged adult stage, with only 3 weeks required for development from egg to fertile adult insect. The adults have strongly developed hind legs and can jump quickly, giving rise to the name of “jumping” plant
Latin Name: Diaphorina citri
Common Name: Asian citrus psyllid
Other Names: N/A
Pest Details
Origin:This pest is native to Asia, but now has spread to other tropical regions throughout the world and was first discovered in Florida in 1998. Subsequently it has spread throughout the southern states to Louisiana as well as to California and the important citrus industry there.
Biology:
This pest is an extremely important pest of citrus, vectoring the disease called Huanglongbing or “greening” disease, a fatal disease of citrus trees. Females deposit up to 800 eggs in their lifetime, placing the eggs on the tips of new shoots of citrus. Over the next 2 to 7 weeks the nymphs pass through 5 instars and become adults, feeding continuously on the new shoots of the host plant. As they feed they produce a toxin that is passed into the plant to cause dieback and distortion of the leaves. They also acquire and vector a bacterium that causes
Latin Name: Psyllopsis decrepans
Common Name: Cottony ash psyllid
Latin Family Name: Psyllidae
Other Names: Cottony psyllid
Pest Details
Biology:Females may deposit up to hundreds of eggs on the leaf surface, usually in rows or clusters. Nymphs pass through 5 instars prior to the adult stage, and are mobile throughout this period, feeding on the sap in the leaves. In warmer climates there may be up to 5 generations per year. Nymphs commonly feed on the lower surface of the leaf, and combined with their wax extrusions can make control difficult with chemical sprays.
Identification:Named for the large cottony white mass of wax that protrudes from the rear end of the nymph stages. The adult strongly resembles a winged aphid, with fully developed wings that extend past the end of the abdomen. However, like other psyllids it lacks the two spiracles that extend from the top rear of the abdomen on aphids. Color
Latin Name: Trioza eugeniae
Common Name: Eugenia psyllid
Latin Family Name: Psyllidae
Other Names: Lilly-pilly psyllid (Australia)
Pest Details
Origin:Native to Australia, as is Eugenia plants (bush cherry), and imported to the U.S. along with the plants.
Biology:
There may be up to 5 generations per year, dependent on temperatures. The female can produce hundreds of yellow, oval eggs, and partially inserts them into the margins of terminal leaves. The mobile nymphs then feed by inserting their proboscis into the plant tissues, causing the development of a pit or blister that disfigures the foliage. There is heavy production of honeydew and the resulting sooty mold, and heavily infested plants can suffer with serious decline in health and appearance.
Identification:The presence of the pest is often discovered when the large, reddish blisters appear on the leaves of Eugenia. The eggs are yellow
Latin Name: Psylla pyricola
Common Name: Pear psylla
Latin Family Name: Psyllidae
Other Names: Common pear psyllid
Pest Details
Origin:Native to Europe, but introduced to North America in the early 1800’s where it now is the most important insect pest of pears in the U.S.
Biology:
This psyllid infests only various varieties of pears. Mature adults overwinter, become active and mate in the spring, and move to pear trees to lay eggs on stems and developing foliage. There are normally 3 generations through the warm months, and a 4th generation in the fall which again overwinters. The summer females lay as many as 300 eggs, normally placing them along the midvein of a leaf. As the nymphs feed they exude heavy amounts of honeydew, which accumulates around them and their shed skins to form a sticky mass on the leaves. Damage is caused by loss of foliage, growth of sooty mold on fruit, and vectoring of a pathogen
Latin Name: Glycaspis brimblecombei
Common Name: Red gum lerp psyllid
Latin Family Name: Psyllidae
Other Names: Eucalyptus Redgum Lerp Psyllid
Pest Details
Origin:Native to Australia, and now found in the U.S. in California, Arizona, Florida, and Hawaii, as well as in Mexico.
Biology:
This species was accidentally introduced to California around the year 1998, and rapidly infested eucalyptus trees throughout the state. The nymphs settle onto the leaf surface and remain in place as they feed, creating a shiny white cap over themselves with the sugary sap they exude as they feed. Massive numbers of these caps can cover the undersides of leaves, with honeydew production very heavy. Eventually the caps also fall from the leaves, coating vehicles and other surfaces below with the sticky material. Heavy feeding can cause defoliation of the tree, weakening it and making it susceptible to other problems. The heavy production
Latin Name: Paratrioza cockerelli
Common Name: Tomato Psyllid
Latin Family Name: Psyllidae
Other Names: Potato psyllid
Pest Details
Biology:Eggs are deposited on the end of a short stalk, and laid most often along leaf margins and veins, commonly on the lower surface of the leaf. The nymphs also spend most of their time on the lower surfaces, undergoing 5 instar stages and then the adult. Development to the adult is in 2 to 3 weeks. Females may lay over 500 eggs. This species is a serious pest of tomatoes, potatoes, and many greenhouse plants, as well as being found on at least 20 other families of plants.
Identification:Adults are very small psyllids, and resemble tiny cicadas. The adult also changes in color from its initial light yellow-green to darker gray or black after a week. Color of the nymph changes with development, from yellowish to tan to greenish, and with red eyes. The eggs are placed at the end of a short stalk
Latin Name: Cacopsylla groenlandica
Common Name: Willow Psyllid
Latin Family Name: Psyllidae
Other Names: Common willow psyllid
Pest Details
Origin:Likely native to North America.
Biology:
One of nearly 60 species of psyllid in the genus Cacopsylla, this is a minor pest on willow and other ornamental trees.
Identification:Winged adults are extremely similar to aphids, but lack the pair of cornicles at the top rear of the abdomen that aphids have. They have wings much longer than the abdomen and dark bands running across the abdomen. Body color is yellow-green.
Characteristicts Important to Control:
Generally present in low numbers and not requiring a control effort. Chemical sprays can be effective if they are able to contact the insects, concentrating on the lower surface of the leaves. A systemic such as imidacloprid appears to be effective, moving the active ingredient into the leaf tissue