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How do I find psyllids? Check your citrus trees monthly. Whenever you see tiny new leaves forming (leaf flush), look closely for signs of the psyllid. Remember the adults fly and so they may be hard to observe and the eggs are so tiny they are hard to see without a hand lens.
Tamarixia wasp parasitoid. Photo: M. Lewis The Asian citrus psyllid is attacked by many natural enemies, including lady beetles, lacewing larvae, syrphid larvae, minute pirate bugs, parasitic wasps, spiders, and birds.
Principles for treating commercial citrus orchards following the first appearance of ACP or where aggressive action is being taken in HLB quarantine areas: Apply two ACP effective insecticides with different modes of action as soon as possible after detection of ACP, with at least one from the broad...
Once the psyllid is found in multiple sites, in multiple stages, and it is clear that it is established in a region, the strategy becomes one of keeping ACP populations as low as possible (
See individual pesticide labels and the UC IPM guidelines for citrus for rate recommendations. Many insecticides are effective in killing psyllids, especially if they make direct contact. Synthetic Insecticides known to be effective for ACP management.
The goal: To drive psyllids below an average of 0.5 nymphs/flush. If the center row has zero nymphs, then a border only treatment between coordinated treatments could be applied to reduce psyllids below this threshold. The psyllid prefers borders and so the focus is on the outside edges of orchards.
If you find the Asian citrus psyllid, you should check the Distribution of ACP in California tab to determine if the psyllid and its parasites (Tamarixia) have been found in your area.
This zoomable map allows the user to see where and how often the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) has been trapped since 2008 at the section level (one mile square).
