Australian-native
Guides
Blastopsylla
eucalypt shoot psyllid
Blastopsylla is a genus of psyllids in the family Aphalaridae. The genus contains at least one economically significant species, Blastopsylla occidentalis, native to Australia and introduced to multiple continents including the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe. Species in this genus are associated with Eucalyptus species, feeding on plant sap and causing damage to shoot tips.
Boreioglycaspis
Boreioglycaspis is a genus of psyllids in the family Aphalaridae, containing species that specialize on Melaleuca and related Myrtaceae. The genus includes Boreioglycaspis melaleucae, introduced to Florida in 2002 as a classical biological control agent against the invasive tree Melaleuca quinquenervia. Species in this genus are characterized by their narrow host specificity and association with Australian native plants.
Coridromius chenopoderis
Coridromius chenopoderis is a plant bug species in the family Miridae, first described from Western Australia in 2008. The species has established populations across multiple continents, including Australia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, and parts of North America. It belongs to a genus noted for unusual sexual dimorphism and modified male genitalia. The species epithet refers to its association with plants in the family Chenopodiaceae.
Cryptolaemus montrouzieri
Mealybug Destroyer, Mealybug Ladybird
Cryptolaemus montrouzieri is a small ladybird beetle native to eastern Australia, widely used as a biological control agent against mealybugs and scale insects in agricultural and horticultural systems globally. Adults are approximately 6 mm long with dark brown elytra and orange-brown head, pronotum, and appendages. Larvae reach 14–15 mm and are covered in white waxy filaments that provide aggressive mimicry of their mealybug prey, potentially protecting them from ant aggression. The species has been introduced to numerous regions including California (1891), Europe, and New Zealand for classical biological control of citrus mealybug and related pests.
Glycaspis brimblecombei
Red Gum Lerp Psyllid
Glycaspis brimblecombei, the Red Gum Lerp Psyllid, is an invasive sap-sucking insect native to Australia that has become a significant pest of Eucalyptus plantations worldwide. First described by Moore in 1964, this psyllid has spread to North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia, causing substantial damage to forestry productivity. Nymphs construct protective sugary coverings called lerps while feeding on leaf phloem, and their multivoltine life cycle enables rapid population growth. The species is a major target for biological control efforts using parasitoids, predators, and entomopathogenic fungi.
Oxyops vitiosus
Melaleuca Weevil
Oxyops vitiosus, commonly known as the Melaleuca Weevil, is a species of broad-nosed weevil in the family Curculionidae. It is native to Australia and has been introduced to the United States as a biological control agent targeting invasive Melaleuca trees. The species is notable for its specialized feeding relationship with plants in the genus Melaleuca.
Paropsisterna m-fuscum
Eucalyptus Leaf Beetle
Paropsisterna m-fuscum is a small leaf beetle in the subfamily Chrysomelinae, native to Australia and now invasive in California, USA. It has become a significant forestry pest, particularly on Blue Gum eucalyptus. The species can reach high population densities and causes defoliation damage. Both adults and larvae feed on eucalyptus foliage.
Rhyzobius lophanthae
purple scale predator, scale-eating ladybird
Rhyzobius lophanthae is a small coccidophagous ladybird beetle native to Queensland and Southern Australia, widely introduced as a biological control agent. Adults and larvae prey on armored scales (Diaspididae) and mealybugs, with younger larvae crawling beneath protective scale covers to feed on nymphs. The species has established populations across the southern United States since its 1892 introduction to California, as well as in Europe and Pacific islands including Guam and Rota. It exhibits temperature-dependent development with optimal reproductive performance at 28°C.