Glycaspis brimblecombei, Moore, 1964

Percy, Diana M., Rung, Alessandra & Hoddle, Mark S., 2012, An annotated checklist of the psyllids of California (Hemiptera: Psylloidea), Zootaxa 3193, pp. 1-27 : 17

brimblecombei Moore, 1964

Type locality: Australia.

Additional distribution: Introduced in Europe, South America, and USA ( Valente & Hodkinson 2009).

Host plant: Several Eucalyptus spp., including E. camaldulensis , E. globulus , E. nitens , E. blakelyi , E. brassiana , E. bridgesiana , E. camphora , E. dealbata , E. diversicolor , E. sideroxylon , E. nicholii , E. lehmannii , E. rudis , E. tereticornis , E. mannifera , E. maculosa .

Remarks: First recorded in California in June 1998 ( Gill 1998). This pest is a major threat to susceptible Eucalyptus species (in particular E. camaldulensis , E. rudis , E. tereticornis which can experience heavy defoliation) that are grown in urban landscapes, as wind shelters, or as commercial forest species ( Brennan et al. 1999; Brennan et al. 2001a); common name: red gum lerp psyllid.

Parasitoids and Predators: Psyllaephagus bliteus Riek ( Daane et al. 2005; Dahlsten et al. 2005) released in California as a biocontrol in 2000. Laboratory studies have demonstrated that P. bliteus can lay eggs in psyllid nymphs of any age, but female parasitoids prefer third and fourth instars ( UC Riverside, CISR; UC Berkeley, CBC). In some cases, generalist predators (e.g., Anthocoris nemoralis , Hemiptera : Anthocoridae ) may interfere with the effectiveness of P. bliteus to control psyllid populations ( Erbilgin et al. 2004). At least four coccinellid beetles ( Coleoptera ) and lacewings ( Neuroptera ) have been recorded feeding on this psyllid ( Erbilgin et al. 2004).