Trioza eugeniae, Froggatt, 1901

Percy, Diana M., Rung, Alessandra & Hoddle, Mark S., 2012, An annotated checklist of the psyllids of California (Hemiptera: Psylloidea), Zootaxa 3193, pp. 1-27 : 23

eugeniae Froggatt, 1901

Type locality: Australia.

Additional distribution: Introduced in USA.

Host plant: Syzygium paniculatum , Syzygium smithii , and Metrosideros excelsus in California.

Remarks: First recorded in California in May 1988. Psyllid damage can severely disfigure trees, which are commonly used in ornamental plantings. In cooler areas of the California coast, such as the city of San Francisco, the parasitoid populations do not increase quickly enough to respond to sudden increases in psyllid numbers ( Dahlsten et al. 1995, 2000). This psyllid is sensitive to both frost and heat, and temperatures above 90˚F are known to inhibit population growth; common name: lillypilly psyllid, or eugenia psyllid.

Parasitoids: Tamarixia dahlsteni Zuparko. Some native natural enemies have been noted on the eugenia psyllid in California, but their effects on psyllid populations have been negligible ( UC Berkeley, CBC).