Persea
Guides
Caloptilia burserella
Caloptilia burserella is a leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae. The species is known from Florida, USA and Cuba. Its larvae feed on leaves of Bursera gummifera, Bursera simaruba, and Persea americana, creating characteristic blotch mines.
Phyllocnistis hyperpersea
Phyllocnistis hyperpersea is a microlepidopteran moth in the family Gracillariidae, described by Davis & Wagner in 2011. The species is notable for its distinctive leafmining behavior on Persea species, creating serpentine galleries on the upper leaf surface with an unusually broad median frass trail. Its specific name references this habit of mining on the upperside (hyper) of Persea leaves.
Trioza magnoliae
Red Bay Psyllid
Trioza magnoliae, commonly known as the Red Bay Psyllid, is a gall-forming psyllid native to eastern North America. This species induces characteristic galls on the leaves of native Persea bay trees, particularly red bay (Persea borbonia) and related species. The insect has a wide distribution across the eastern and central United States. While primarily an ecological curiosity due to its gall-forming habit, it has gained attention in relation to the decline of red bay populations caused by the invasive laurel wilt disease, as the psyllid's host trees face significant mortality.