Tuliptree
Guides
Illinoia liriodendri
tuliptree aphid, tulip tree aphid
Illinoia liriodendri is a sap-feeding aphid native to eastern North America that specializes on tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera). It has become an invasive pest in Europe, where it was first recorded in the early 2000s and has since spread to multiple countries. The species exhibits a monoecic-holocyclic life cycle, with peak populations occurring in late spring. It is considered the most significant insect pest of tuliptree in urban landscapes, capable of reaching high densities that produce substantial honeydew and impact young trees.
Toumeyella liriodendri
tuliptree scale
Toumeyella liriodendri, the tuliptree scale, is a soft scale insect (Coccidae) native to North America and specialized on Liriodendron tulipifera (tuliptree or yellow-poplar). This univoltine species overwinters as second-instar nymphs on twigs, matures to adults in spring, and produces eggs that hatch into crawlers in early summer. First-instar nymphs feed on leaf undersides before migrating back to twigs in autumn. Males are unknown; reproduction is presumed parthenogenetic. Heavy infestations cause branch dieback, reduced growth, and honeydew production that supports sooty mold growth. The species has been the subject of recent genomic research, with a 536Mb genome assembly revealing it as an early-diverging soft scale with 17 chromosomes.