Psyllid
Guides
Acizzia
Acizzia is a genus of psyllids in the monotypic subfamily Acizziinae, established by George Heslop-Harrison in 1961. Species are primarily associated with leguminous hosts, particularly Acacia and Albizia species in Australia, though some have expanded to Solanaceae and Loranthaceae. Many species exhibit high host specificity, with some being monophagous or oligophagous. Several species have become invasive outside their native ranges following the global horticultural trade of their host plants.
Acizzia acaciaebaileyanae
Acizzia acaciaebaileyanae is a psyllid species specialized on Acacia baileyana, a widely planted ornamental acacia. Native to Australia, it has spread globally through human transport of its host plant. Despite forming dense populations, it has been observed not to cause visible damage to the host. The species exemplifies inadvertent introduction of specialist herbivores via horticultural trade.
Acizzia hakeae
A psyllid species in the family Psyllidae, originally described as Psylla hakeae by Tuthill in 1952. The specific epithet 'hakeae' indicates an association with Hakea, a genus of Australian shrubs. The species has been recorded in Australia and New Zealand.
Acizzia jamatonica
Acizzia jamatonica is a psyllid species (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) native to Asia that has established populations in Europe and North America. It is associated with Albizia species, particularly Albizia julibrissin. The species was first described by Kuwayama in 1908 from Japan and has since been detected as a non-native introduction in multiple countries.
Acizzia uncatoides
Acacia Psyllid
Acizzia uncatoides is a psyllid species native to Australia, primarily associated with Acacia species, especially Acacia melanoxylon, and some Albizia species. It has been introduced to multiple regions worldwide, including La Réunion, where it poses a significant threat to endemic Acacia heterophylla forests. Though capable of reaching high population densities, it is not generally regarded as a major pest species in most of its range. The species serves as prey for generalist psyllid predators and has been targeted for classical biological control programs.
Acizziinae
Acizziinae is a monotypic subfamily of psyllids (family Psyllidae) containing the single genus Acizzia. The subfamily was established by George Heslop-Harrison in 1961 and has a worldwide distribution. Members are small sap-feeding insects associated with host plants.
Amorphicola amorphae
false indigo psyllid
Amorphicola amorphae, commonly known as the false indigo psyllid, is a jumping plant louse in the family Psyllidae. It is a specialist herbivore associated with false indigo plants (Amorpha spp.). The species has been documented in scattered localities across the central and western United States. As a member of the Sternorrhyncha, it possesses piercing-sucking mouthparts adapted for feeding on plant vascular fluids.
Amorphicola pallida
Amorphicola pallida is a psyllid species in the family Psyllidae, first described by Tuthill in 1943. Psyllids, commonly known as jumping plant lice, are small sap-feeding insects that typically specialize on particular host plants. This species has been recorded from the central United States including Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, and Nebraska.
Amorphicolinae
Amorphicolinae is a subfamily of jumping plant lice within the family Psyllidae (Hemiptera). Members of this group are small, sap-feeding insects associated with host plants. The subfamily is relatively poorly documented compared to other psyllid groups, with limited published research on its biology and ecology.
Aphalara
jumping plant lice, psyllids
Aphalara is a genus of jumping plant lice (psyllids) in the family Aphalaridae and tribe Aphalarini. The genus contains approximately 37 recognized valid species distributed across the Palearctic, Nearctic, and Neotropical regions. Many species are specialized herbivores of Polygonaceae, particularly Polygonum and Rumex, with some groups showing strict host associations. The genus includes A. itadori, a widely studied biological control agent for invasive knotweeds (Reynoutria/Fallopia spp.) in Europe and North America. Species exhibit diverse biologies including gall induction on host plants and vibrational communication during mate search.
Aphalara monticola
Aphalara monticola is a species of jumping plant louse in the family Aphalaridae, described by Hodkinson in 1973. Like other members of the genus Aphalara, this species is associated with host plants and exhibits the characteristic morphology of psyllids, including membranous wings held roof-like over the body and piercing-sucking mouthparts adapted for feeding on plant sap. The specific epithet 'monticola' suggests an association with mountainous habitats.
Aphalara persicaria
Aphalara persicaria is a species of psyllid (jumping plant louse) in the family Aphalaridae, first described by Caldwell in 1937. The species epithet "persicaria" suggests a possible association with plants in the genus Persicaria (knotweeds), though specific host relationships remain undocumented. It belongs to a genus of small, sap-feeding insects that are poorly studied in North America. Records indicate presence in Cuba and Ohio, USA.
Aphalaroida californica
Aphalaroida californica is a species of jumping plant louse (psyllid) in the family Psyllidae, described by Tuthill in 1939. The specific epithet "californica" indicates its association with California. As a member of Sternorrhyncha, it is a phloem-feeding insect. Very little published information exists on its biology, host associations, or ecology.
Aphalaroida inermis
Aphalaroida inermis is a species of jumping plant louse (psyllid) in the family Psyllidae. First described by Crawford in 1914, this small hemipteran insect belongs to a group of sap-feeding insects associated with host plants. The species name 'inermis' (Latin for 'unarmed') likely refers to morphological features lacking spines or projections. Like other psyllids, it undergoes incomplete metamorphosis with distinct nymphal stages.
Aphalaroida pithecolobia
Aphalaroida pithecolobia is a psyllid species in the family Psyllidae, described by Crawford in 1914. It belongs to a genus associated with host-specific relationships on leguminous plants. The species has been documented across multiple western North American states based on collection records.
Aphalaroidinae
Aphalaroidinae is a subfamily of psyllids within the family Psyllidae. These are small sap-feeding insects commonly known as jumping plant lice. The subfamily is distinguished by particular wing venation patterns and genitalic structures that separate it from other psyllid subfamilies. Members are associated with various host plants, though specific associations remain incompletely documented for many taxa.
Arytaina genistae
Broom Psyllid
Arytaina genistae, commonly known as the Broom Psyllid, is a jumping plant louse in the family Psyllidae. The species is native to Europe and has been introduced to North America, where it has become established across much of the United States. It is associated with brooms (Genista and Cytisus species) as its host plants. The species is of interest both as a potential biological control agent for invasive brooms and as a pest of ornamental and cultivated broom species.
Bactericera antennata
Rudbeckia Triozid
Bactericera antennata is a psyllid species in the family Triozidae, commonly known as the Rudbeckia Triozid. It is a small, plant-feeding insect in the order Hemiptera, related to aphids and whiteflies. The species is distributed across much of North America with records from numerous U.S. states and Canadian provinces. As with most psyllids, it feeds by penetrating plant phloem and sucking sap.
Bactericera arbolensis
Bactericera arbolensis is a small psyllid species first described from Arboles, Colorado in 1910. It is associated with Shepherdia species (buffaloberry), particularly Silver Buffaloberry (Shepherdia argentea) and Canadian Buffaloberry (Shepherdia canadensis). The species is poorly known, with few literature records from Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. A 2014 observation from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado suggested potential wing morphology variation or possible undescribed related species, highlighting the need for further study.
Bactericera athenae
Bactericera athenae is a species of psyllid in the family Triozidae, first described by Crawford in 1914. Like other members of the genus Bactericera, it is a small phloem-feeding insect commonly known as a "jumping plant louse." The genus Bactericera contains approximately 24 described species in North America north of Mexico, many of which are poorly known and associated with specific host plants.
Bactericera californica
California psyllid
Bactericera californica is a species of psyllid in the family Triozidae, first described by Crawford in 1910. It is native to western North America and has been documented in California, Arizona, Colorado, and Arkansas. As a member of the genus Bactericera, it belongs to a group of psyllids that includes several economically significant agricultural pests. The species is poorly studied compared to its congener B. cockerelli, the potato psyllid, and little is known about its specific biology or host associations.
Bactericera dorsalis
Bactericera dorsalis is a species of psyllid, commonly known as a jumping plant louse, in the family Triozidae. First described by Crawford in 1914 as Kuwayama dorsalis, this small phloem-feeding insect belongs to a genus containing approximately 24 species in North America north of Mexico. Like other psyllids, it feeds by penetrating plant phloem and sucking sap. The species is poorly known compared to economically important relatives such as the potato psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli).
Bactericera lavaterae
Island Mallow Psyllid
Bactericera lavaterae is a species of psyllid in the family Triozidae, described by Van Duzee in 1924. The species is commonly known as the Island Mallow Psyllid, reflecting its association with mallow plants (Malvaceae). As a member of the Sternorrhyncha suborder, it is a phloem-feeding insect that uses piercing-sucking mouthparts to extract plant sap. The species is part of the diverse Bactericera genus, which contains approximately 24 described species in North America north of Mexico.
Bactericera lobata
Bactericera lobata is a psyllid species (family Triozidae) first described by Crawford in 1914. As a member of the genus Bactericera, it belongs to a diverse group of phloem-feeding insects commonly known as jumping plant lice. The species is recorded from the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Like other psyllids, it likely feeds on plant phloem sap, though specific host associations remain poorly documented. The genus includes economically significant species such as the potato psyllid (B. cockerelli), but B. lobata itself has received limited research attention.
Bactericera maculipennis
psyllid, jumping plant louse
Bactericera maculipennis is a psyllid species in the family Triozidae, native to western North America. It is a confirmed vector of 'Candidatus' Liberibacter solanacearum, the bacterium that causes zebra chip disease in potatoes. The species develops primarily on plants in the Convolvulaceae family, with field records documenting association with Convolvulus arvensis (field bindweed) throughout the western United States. Unlike the related potato psyllid B. cockerelli, B. maculipennis has not been documented as a direct economic threat to solanaceous crops, though it shares pathogen reservoirs with that species.
Bactericera minuta
Bactericera minuta is a small psyllid species native to North America that has become adventive in South America, where it was first recorded in Colombia. It feeds on willow species (Salix), particularly Salix humboldtiana, and has been associated with phytoplasma disease symptoms in infested trees. The species was originally described in 1910 and represents one of only two Bactericera species known from South America, where the genus is not native.
Bactericera shepherdiae
Bactericera shepherdiae is a small psyllid species in the family Triozidae, described by Tuthill in 1938. It is associated with buffaloberry plants (Shepherdia spp.), specifically Silver Buffaloberry (Shepherdia argentea) and Canadian Buffaloberry (Shepherdia canadensis). The species is poorly documented and appears to be uncommon, with limited records from western North America. It is one of approximately 24 Bactericera species known from North America north of Mexico.
Baeoalitriozus
Baeoalitriozus is a genus of psyllids (true bugs in the family Triozidae) comprising at least 16 described species. The genus was established by Li in 2011 and has a notably broad geographic distribution spanning three continents: North America, Africa, and Southeastern Asia. Species in this genus are associated with diverse host plants, including Diospyros (persimmon) and Sersalisia. The genus demonstrates considerable taxonomic diversity with species described across multiple decades by various psyllid specialists including Crawford, Tuthill, Hollis, and Buckton.
Baeoalitriozus diospyri
Persimmon Psyllid
Baeoalitriozus diospyri, commonly known as the persimmon psyllid, is a hemipteran insect in the family Triozidae. It is found in the United States and Mexico, where it feeds on persimmon species including Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki), ornamental varieties, and native persimmons. The species was originally described as Psylla diospyri by Ashmead in 1881.
Blastopsylla occidentalis
Eucalyptus Shoot Psyllid
Blastopsylla occidentalis is a psyllid native to Australia that has been introduced to multiple continents, becoming a significant pest of Eucalyptus species in forestry plantations worldwide. The species forms colonies on apical shoot tips where adults and nymphs feed on phloem sap, causing shoot distortion, reduced growth, apical tip death, and general plant weakening. Under field conditions in tropical and subtropical regions, it exhibits polyvoltine reproduction with all life stages present year-round. Population densities fluctuate seasonally, with peaks during dry periods and declines during heavy rainfall.
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.
Cacopsylla alba
Cacopsylla alba is a species of psyllid, or jumping plant louse, in the family Psyllidae. Like other psyllids, it is a small, phloem-feeding insect that uses piercing-sucking mouthparts to extract sap from host plants. The species was originally described as Psylla alba by Crawford in 1914 before being transferred to the genus Cacopsylla. It belongs to a large genus of psyllids, many of which are associated with specific host plants and some of which are significant agricultural pests.
Cacopsylla annulata
Cacopsylla annulata is a species of psyllid, commonly known as a jumping plant louse, in the family Psyllidae. First described by Fitch in 1851 as Psylla annulata, it was later transferred to the genus Cacopsylla. Like other psyllids, it is a phloem-feeding hemipteran that uses its piercing-sucking mouthparts to extract sap from host plants. The species has been documented across multiple northeastern and midwestern U.S. states.
Cacopsylla curta
Cacopsylla curta is a species of jumping plant louse in the family Psyllidae, first described by Tuthill in 1943. Like other members of the genus Cacopsylla, it is a small sap-feeding insect associated with woody plants. The species has been documented in western North America, with records from California, Colorado, and Oregon. As with many psyllid species, detailed biological information remains limited in published sources.
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.
Cacopsylla magnicauda
Cacopsylla magnicauda is a species of psyllid, commonly known as a jumping plant louse, within the family Psyllidae. First described by Crawford in 1914, this species belongs to a genus containing numerous plant-feeding insects that use piercing-sucking mouthparts to extract phloem sap. Like other psyllids, it is likely associated with specific host plants, though detailed ecological studies for this particular species appear limited. The species has been recorded in western North America including Alberta, British Columbia, California, Colorado, and Manitoba.
Cacopsylla mali
apple leaf sucker, apple psylla, apple sucker
Cacopsylla mali is a psyllid species in the family Psyllidae, native to Eurasia and introduced to North America. Commonly known as the apple leaf sucker or apple psylla, it is associated with apple (Malus) host plants. The species belongs to the subfamily Psyllinae and is one of several Cacopsylla species involved in apple-associated insect-plant interactions.
Cacopsylla nana
Cacopsylla nana is a species of jumping plant louse (psyllid) in the family Psyllidae, first described by Tuthill in 1938. Like other members of the genus Cacopsylla, it is a phloem-feeding hemipteran that feeds on plant sap. The species is part of a large genus containing many economically important pests, though specific information about C. nana's biology and ecology remains limited. It belongs to the suborder Sternorrhyncha, which includes other sap-feeding insects such as aphids, whiteflies, and scale insects.
Cacopsylla negundinis
boxelder psyllid
Cacopsylla negundinis is a psyllid species in the family Psyllidae, order Hemiptera. Like other members of its genus, it is a phloem-feeding insect that uses piercing-sucking mouthparts to extract plant sap. The species is associated with boxelder (Acer negundo) as a host plant. As with related Cacopsylla species, it likely undergoes a single generation per year with overwintering adults.
Cacopsylla notapennis
Cacopsylla notapennis is a species of psyllid in the family Psyllidae, described by Jensen in 1956. As a member of the genus Cacopsylla, it belongs to a group of phloem-feeding insects commonly known as jumping plant lice. The species is part of the diverse psyllid fauna of the Holarctic region, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Cacopsylla quadrilineata
Cacopsylla quadrilineata is a psyllid species (family Psyllidae) in the order Hemiptera, originally described by Fitch in 1851. Psyllids in this genus are small plant-feeding insects commonly known as jumping plant lice, which feed on phloem sap using piercing-sucking mouthparts. This species belongs to a group of insects whose landscape movements and host associations can be tracked through molecular gut content analysis, a technique that has revealed their use of diverse non-host plants as temporary refuges.
Cacopsylla rara
Cacopsylla rara is a species of jumping plant louse in the family Psyllidae. It is a small, phloem-feeding insect within the suborder Sternorrhyncha. The species was described by Tuthill in 1944. Like other psyllids, it feeds by penetrating plant phloem and sucking sap.
Cacopsylla sinuata
Cacopsylla sinuata is a species of psyllid, or 'jumping plant louse,' described by Crawford in 1914. Like other members of the genus Cacopsylla, it is a small, phloem-feeding hemipteran with siphon-like mouthparts. The species belongs to the family Psyllidae within the suborder Sternorrhyncha, which includes other sap-sucking insects such as aphids, scales, and whiteflies. Specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Cacopsylla tenuata
Cacopsylla tenuata is a species of psyllid, commonly known as a jumping plant louse, in the family Psyllidae. Like other members of its genus, it is a phloem-feeding insect that uses piercing-sucking mouthparts to extract sap from host plants. The species was described by Jensen in 1951. Very little specific information is available about its biology or ecology.
Calinda collaris
Calinda collaris is a species of psyllid, a small sap-sucking insect in the family Triozidae. First described by Crawford in 1910, this species belongs to a genus of jumping plant lice that feed on various host plants. Like other psyllids, it undergoes incomplete metamorphosis and is associated with specific plant hosts, though detailed biological information remains limited in published literature.
Calinda longistylus
Calinda longistylus is a psyllid species in the family Triozidae, described by Crawford in 1910. It belongs to a genus associated with host plants in the family Solanaceae. The species has been recorded from scattered localities in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.
Calophya
jumping plant lice
Calophya is the type genus of the psyllid family Calophyidae, containing at least 69 described species. Members are gall-forming psyllids that feed on phloem and induce galls on host plants, primarily in the family Anacardiaceae. Several species have been investigated as biological control agents for invasive plants, particularly Brazilian peppertree (Schinus terebinthifolia). The genus shows high host specificity, with most species completing development only on specific host plants.
Calophya minuta
Calophya minuta is a species of jumping plant louse in the family Calophyidae, first described by Tuthill in 1942. The species belongs to the order Hemiptera, suborder Sternorrhyncha, and is part of the psyllid superfamily Psylloidea. Like other members of its genus, it is likely associated with specific host plants, though detailed ecological information remains limited. The species has been documented in observation records, with 12 observations recorded on iNaturalist.
Calophya oweni
A small psyllid in the family Calophyidae, described by Tuthill in 1939. Very little published information exists on this species. The few available records suggest it occurs in western North America. As with other Calophya species, it likely develops on specific host plants, though these remain undocumented for this particular species.
Calophya schini
Peppertree Psyllid
Calophya schini is a small psyllid in the family Calophyidae, specialized on Schinus molle (Peruvian peppertree). Adults are approximately 2 mm in length with orange to pale yellow or green coloration and hyaline wings. The species is endemic to Central America but has been introduced widely through human cultivation of its host plant, now occurring in the United States, New Zealand, and other regions. Nymphs cause distinctive dimples on leaves and can produce severe leaf malformations when abundant.