June 2013 Pest of the Month

Acacia Psyllid – Psylla uncatoides

  • Hosts: Acacia koa, Acacia koaia
  • Distribution: Originates in southeast Australia. Also found in New Zealand, California, and Hawaii.
  • Damage: Feeds primarily on the young terminal growth. Heavy infestations can severely defoliate and kill twigs and branches.
  • Control: A biological control, Harmonia conformis, was successfully established in Hawaii in the 1970s. It typically maintains acacia psyllid populations below damaging levels.
  • Other: This pest may be encountered more often since the introduction of its more susceptible host, Acacia koaia, into landscapes.

Source: http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/nelsons/koa/Acacia%20psyllids.htm