What should I do if I find it?

The insect

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. 

If you live in Central or Northern California, where the psyllid is rare, act fast and call the CDFA Hotline immediately 1-800-491-1899 to report the psyllid. They will verify that it is an Asian citrus psyllid and may treat your citrus trees in an attempt to rid the area of this pest.

If you live in southern California, then the psyllid is well established. You can call a licensed pesticide applicator or treat your citrus trees yourself with insecticides to keep the psyllid numbers low. See the tab at left for guidance on natural enemies and insecticide treatments. The lower the number of psyllids, the less likely the HLB disease will spread.

The disease

If you think your citrus tree has symptoms of the disease, act fast, call the CDFA hotline 1-800-491-1899 or your local Ag Commissioners office and someone will take a leaf sample and determine if it is infected with the bacteria that causes huanglongbing.

Keep a close watch on the map of HLB finds and the news reports about HLB. You can do this clicking the tab at the top of this page MAP of psyllids, HLB and parasites or type ucanr.edu/hlbapp into your cell phone and view how close HLB is to your home. If an HLB-infected tree has been found in or near your neighborhood, consider taking out your citrus tree and replacing it with non-citrus, especially if it is less than 2 miles away.  Most likely your citrus tree is already infected, just not yet showing disease symptoms. The tests that determine if a tree is infected, often don't reveal HLB until the tree has had it for many months or years, meanwhile psyllids could be spreading the disease. If the tree is removed it eliminates the need for pesticides to control the psyllid and prevents your residence from becoming a source of infection for your neighbor's trees.  

If you no longer enjoy your citrus tree or do not want to routinely deal with pests and disease, the tree should be removed. Removing unwanted citrus trees helps prevent huanglongbing from spreading in the community.

For recommendations on alternative, non-citrus fruit trees that are appropriate for your area, consult with your local nursery or Master Gardeners (https://mg.ucanr.edu/).