05/10/04 - Alert on the eugenia psyllid, Trioza eugeniae

Received from:
Dr. Lance S. Osborne
UF/IFAS
Mid-Florida Research and Education Center
lsosborn@ufl.edu

I've been asked by Florida Department of Agriculture/ Division of Plant Industry to send out an alert on the eugenia psyllid (Trioza eugeniae) and ask for our help to prevent the introduction and spread of Trioza eugeniae.

According to Dr. Susan Halbert (FDACS-DPI), "This psyllid pest was eradicated in 1993 and has not been found again until recently, when it was detected at several nurseries on material shipped this year from California. Probably the only Florida host is Syzygium paniculatum, a plant that is popular for hedges and topiaries. Syzygium paniculatum is also called Australian brush cherry or eugenia. The topiaries are sold in discount stores, so the potential for distribution is high if infested material leaves the original nurseries. We would like to prevent T. eugeniae from becoming established in Florida.

"Please notify your local county extension agent or an inspector from DPI if you find an insect that looks like this particular pest.

"There are very few photographs of this psyllid but those that I could find were taken by Jack Kelly Clark who is, without question, the very best photographer I know."

Adult photo at: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/T/I-HO-TEUG-AD.009.html.

Photo of nymphs at: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/T/I-HO-TEUG-NM.010.html.

Photo of eggs at: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/T/I-HO-TEUG-EG.002.html.

The following website gives information on a number of related species. There is also a description of the tiny golden eggs, nymphs and adults. http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7423.html.

Please visit this site and view photos of other psyllid pests to get and idea as what this unique group of insects look like.

In addition, the UF/IFAS Featured Creatures Web site has publications on the following pest psyllids:

Blastopsylla occidentalis Taylor, eucalyptus psyllid, at http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/trees/eucalyptus_psyllids.htm.

Boreioglycaspis melaleucae Moore, a psyllid, at http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/beneficial/b_melaleucae.htm.

Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, Asiatic citrus psyllid, at http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/citrus/acpsyllid.htm.

Glycaspis brimblecombei Moore, red gum lerp psyllid, at http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/trees/eucalyptus_psyllids.htm.

Pachypsylla venusta (Osten-Sacken), hackberry petiole gall psyllid, at http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/trees/hackberry_psyllid.htm.


The UF/IFAS Pest Alert WWW site is at: http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/pestalert/