![Leaves of a river red gum eucalyptus tree covered with redgum lerp psyllids. The white growths are the “lerp” produced by the immature (nymph) stage of the insect. [Credit: Jack Kelly Clark]](https://ucanr.edu/blogs/UCIPMurbanpests/blogfiles/92910small.jpg)
If you have eucalyptus trees, you might have noticed white, crusty growth on the leaves. Or maybe you saw a sticky, blackened mess of fallen leaves under a eucalyptus tree. These are signs of the redgum lerp psyllid, one of the most common psyllid pests that damages eucalyptus trees in California.
The adult psyllid is very small and as nymphs, they are concealed under a waxy cap, or lerp. As they feed, they excrete honeydew which can lead to the growth of black sooty mold, the source of those sticky leaves under the tree.
Although under biological control in coastal areas, this pest is still a problem under some growing conditions and on specific Eucalyptus species. Cultural practices to manage...
- Author: Elaine Lander
- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
“Aphids are really bad this year!” This is what we've been hearing on social media and from many home gardeners. Aphids can curl leaves, stunt plant growth, and make a mess by the sticky honeydew they exude. Some aphid species create galls which can also damage plants. Low to moderate aphid infestations usually don't damage plants but if you do have more aphids this year, there are many options for controlling them.
Aphids in landscapes and gardens can be managed by a number of different methods, including biological control. Biological control is when naturally occurring beneficial insects, mites, or other organisms (also called natural enemies) reduce a pest's abundance by eating or parasitizing them.
There...
- Author: Elizabeth E Grafton-Cardwell
(Credit: M. Lewis, CISR)
[This post has been modified from the article originally published in the Fall 2018 issue of the Retail Nursery and Garden Center IPM News.]
Citrus trees remain a popular choice for home gardeners in California, largely due to their ease of care, beauty, and functionality for food and shade. However, backyard citrus can also be plagued by pests such as psyllids, leafminers, cottony cushion scale, and mealybugs.
Longtime readers of this blog will know that we have covered the
Praying mantids are well-known predators we often see lurking around gardens, landscapes, and sometimes near porch lights, waiting for a tasty meal to arrive.
Praying mantid adults are 2 to 4 inches (5-10 cm) long and are usually yellowish, green, or brown. Mantids (often referred to as praying mantis) go through incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult) and have one generation per year. Overwintering eggs are laid in groups in hard, grayish egg cases which are glued to wood, bark, or other plant material. Adults and immatures (nymphs) have an elongated thorax and grasping forelegs, which they have the...
