Melaleuca Psyllid: Boreioglycaspis melaleucae

Loation: Bunbury
Season: Late Summer
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Family: Psyllidae
Boreioglycaspis melaleucae

Melaleuca trees, commonly called Paperbarks, are native to Australia. Melaleuca Psyllid is a jumping plant louse that sucks the sap of the Melaleuca plant and destroys plant. Melaleuca is an introduced species in USA, especially in South Florida. It is an aggressive invader that displaces native vegetation. Melaleuca Psyllid is jumping plant louse that is introduced as a biological control of the invasive Melaleuca plant.

The above psyllid was found in my veggie garden which has a backdrop of a gum tree wooded area. This tiny psyllid is yellow in colour with black markings on its head, thorax and abdomen. There are a pair of red Genae protrude from underneath the eyes which resembles a tongue (on my hand, it looks like it is licking my skin!). The eyes are pale green with a conspicuous black dot. There is a Y shaped black mark on the head extending to the thorax. The wings are transparent with a thin yellow margin. The abdomen has horizontal black stripes. it is triangular in males ending with genitalia. The female, as seen above has a rounded abdomen.

The psyllid was not very active and readily jumped on my hand and stayed there for the whole photo shoot. It flew away after sometime.

References:

Ozanimals

University of Florida