Plant-pest
Guides
Cacopsylla fatsiae
Cacopsylla fatsiae is a psyllid species in the family Psyllidae, described by Jensen in 1957. It belongs to the genus Cacopsylla, which includes numerous phloem-feeding insects associated with woody plants. The species has been recorded in Japan, China (Hong Kong), and California (USA). Like other Cacopsylla species, it is presumed to feed on plant phloem sap, though specific host associations for C. fatsiae remain poorly documented in published literature.
Capitophorus
Capitophorus is a genus of aphids in the family Aphididae containing more than 30 described species. Species within this genus are associated with specific host plants including Artemisia, Chrysothamnus, Fragaria, and Hippophae. Some species are known to transmit virus diseases to cultivated plants, particularly strawberries. The genus exhibits both sexual and asexual reproduction with viviparous parthenogenesis common during the growing season.
Chaitophorinae
Chaitophorinae is a subfamily of aphids in the family Aphididae, comprising approximately 12 genera and over 180 described species. The subfamily is divided into two tribes: Chaitophorini, associated with deciduous trees and shrubs, and Siphini, associated with grasses. Members are characterized by numerous body setae and are predominantly distributed in the Northern Hemisphere. The subfamily originated on Acer plants in eastern Asia during the Late Cretaceous to early Paleocene, with subsequent dispersals and host shifts driving diversification.
Chaitophorus nudus
Chaitophorus nudus is a species of aphid in the family Aphididae, described by Richards in 1966. It belongs to the genus Chaitophorus, a group of aphids commonly associated with woody plants in the family Salicaceae, particularly willows and poplars. As with other members of its genus, this species is likely a phloem-feeding specialist on its host plants. The species name 'nudus' (Latin for 'naked' or 'bare') may refer to morphological characteristics of the cuticle or reduced wax secretion.
Corythucha ciliata
sycamore lace bug, plane lace bug, Eastern Sycamore Lace Bug
Corythucha ciliata, the sycamore lace bug, is a small sap-sucking insect native to North America that has become a globally invasive pest of plane trees (Platanus spp.). Adults are milky white, 3.2–3.7 mm long, with distinctive lacy, reticulate wings. The species was first detected in Europe in 1964 in Italy and has since spread to over three dozen countries across Europe, Asia, and Oceania. It feeds exclusively on the undersides of leaves, causing chlorotic stippling, premature leaf drop, and tree weakening. In Europe, it has been reported to bite humans and cause dermatological reactions.
Drepanaphis idahoensis
Drepanaphis idahoensis is an aphid species in the family Aphididae, subfamily Drepanosiphinae. The species was described by Smith & Dillery in 1968. Like other members of its genus, it is a small, sap-sucking insect that feeds on host plants using piercing-sucking mouthparts. The genus Drepanaphis is characterized by certain morphological features of the antennae and siphunculi.
Eriosomatinae
Woolly Aphids, Gall-making Aphids
Eriosomatinae is a subfamily of aphids distinguished by filamentous waxy secretions that produce a cotton-like or woolly appearance. Members exhibit typically heteroecious holocyclic life cycles, alternating between primary and secondary host plants, with strong primary host plant specialization. Many species induce galls on primary hosts, particularly on Ulmaceae (elms, zelkovas), Salicaceae (poplars), and Anacardiaceae (sumacs). The subfamily contains three tribes: Eriosomatini, Fordini, and Pemphigini.
Lecanodiaspididae
false pit scales, lecanodiaspidids
Lecanodiaspididae is a family of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) commonly known as false pit scales. Members are found worldwide but are most diverse in the Far East. The family comprises approximately 12 described genera including Lecanodiaspis, Anomalococcus, and Pterococcus. These insects are phloem-feeders that develop waxy, protective coverings over their bodies.
Macrosiphum clydesmithi
Macrosiphum clydesmithi is a species of aphid in the family Aphididae, described by Robinson in 1980. It belongs to the genus Macrosiphum, a large group of aphids commonly known as potato aphids or rose aphids. The species is listed as a synonym in some sources but accepted in others, indicating taxonomic uncertainty. No specific biological or ecological information has been documented for this species in the available literature.
Macrosiphum oregonense
Western Skunk-cabbage Aphid
Macrosiphum oregonense is an aphid species described by Jensen in 2000. It belongs to the large genus Macrosiphum within the family Aphididae. The species is commonly known as the Western Skunk-cabbage Aphid, indicating an association with skunk-cabbage plants (Lysichiton species). As a member of the Macrosiphum genus, it shares characteristics with other large aphids in this group, including long antennae and typically having both winged and wingless morphs. The species has been documented through limited observations, with only 3 records in iNaturalist as of the data cutoff.
Noctuidae
owlet moths, cutworms, armyworms
Noctuidae is a large family of moths in the superfamily Noctuoidea, currently comprising approximately 1,089 genera and 11,772 species. The family is taxonomically unstable, having recently lost several subfamilies (Lymantriinae, Catocalinae, Calpinae) to the family Erebidae, making it now the second-largest family in Noctuoidea rather than the largest in Lepidoptera. Adults are predominantly nocturnal with cryptic brown, grey, or black coloration, though some tropical subfamilies exhibit bright coloration. Larvae are commonly known as cutworms or armyworms, with many species being significant agricultural pests.
Oligonychus
Oligonychus is a genus of spider mites in the family Tetranychidae containing approximately 200 described species. Many species are significant agricultural pests attacking diverse crops including tea, coffee, corn, sugarcane, date palms, and numerous ornamental plants. The genus exhibits broad host plant associations spanning monocots and dicots, with several species causing economically important damage through leaf feeding.
Psylloidea
jumping plant lice, psyllids, psylloids
Psylloidea is a superfamily of true bugs (Hemiptera) in the suborder Sternorrhyncha, commonly known as jumping plant lice or psyllids. The group comprises approximately 3,800 described species classified into seven extant families: Aphalaridae, Calophyidae, Carsidaridae, Liviidae, Mastigimatidae, Psyllidae, and Triozidae. Fossil evidence indicates the superfamily originated in the Early Jurassic, though modern families do not appear until the Eocene. Psyllids are obligate phloem-feeders, typically exhibiting high host specificity with most species restricted to a single plant species or closely related group. Many species are economically significant agricultural pests, notably as vectors of bacterial and viral plant pathogens.
Quernaspis
Quernaspis is a genus of armored scale insects in the family Diaspididae, established by G.F. Ferris in 1937. The genus belongs to the economically important group of scale insects that feed on plant sap using piercing-sucking mouthparts. Species in this genus are characterized by their protective waxy coverings, which form a shield over the soft body. As with other diaspidids, they are likely associated with woody host plants, though specific host associations for the genus remain incompletely documented.
Tetanops magdalanae
Tetanops magdalanae is a species of picture-winged fly in the family Ulidiidae. The genus Tetanops comprises six species in North America, all of which develop as larvae in the roots of living plants. Unlike most ulidiids, which are not considered pests, Tetanops species are exceptional in this regard. The specific epithet 'magdalanae' suggests a possible association with a location or person, though this is not documented in the provided source.
Tingidae
Lace Bugs
Tingidae, commonly known as lace bugs, is a family of minute true bugs (Hemiptera) comprising approximately 2,000 described species worldwide. Adults range from 2–10 mm in body length and are immediately recognizable by their ornate, reticulated forewings and pronotal expansions that create a delicate lace-like appearance. The family exhibits complete phytophagy, with species typically specialized to particular host plants or closely related plant groups. Tingidae undergo hemimetabolous development with five distinct nymphal instars preceding the adult stage. Several species are economically significant as pests of ornamental plants, trees, and agricultural crops, while others have been employed as biological control agents against invasive weeds.