Order: Hemiptera (TrueBugs)Family: Psyllidae, TriozidaeCommon Names: Plant Lice, Jumping Plant Lice, Lerps, Lerp Psyllid, Gall Psyllid, Lilly Pilly Psyllid
Psyllids are tiny sap-sucking insects that feed on the nutrient rich liquids inside leaves and transport tissues (xylem & phloem). Most species of psyllid will only feed on one specific host plant, however some species are known to broaden their preferences to plant varieties within the same family.
The iconic baobab tree, with its massive trunk and majestic canopy, is a distinctive feature of Africa’s savanna landscapes. However, these magnificent trees are susceptible to infestations by a common pest known as lerps. Lerps are tiny sap-sucking insects that can weaken and damage baobab trees when present in large numbers. If you’ve noticed these pesky bugs on your baobab, don’t panic. Here is a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to effectively eliminate lerps and protect your tree’s health.
What are Lerps?
Let’s start by understanding precisely what lerps are. Lerps belong to the Psyllidae family of insects and are found mostly in tropical and subtropical climates. These tiny pests are usually just a few millimeters long and like to hide out on the undersides of leaves.
Lerps produce white waxy coverings over their bodies called lerp shells. These shells are made from sugary secretions and serve as protective armor while the lerps feed on plant sap. The sugary honeydew lerps excrete also attracts ants which may further spread the infestation.
When lerps feed on baobab sap in large numbers, they can stunt the tree’s growth, cause leaf discoloration and drop, and even weaken the entire tree. Getting rid of them quickly is key.
How to Identify Lerp Infestation
Before taking control measures, you need to inspect your tree and confirm lerps are the cause of the problem.
Here are the telltale signs of lerps on a baobab tree
- Small (1-5mm) insects on undersides of leaves
- White or clear bumps (lerps) on leaves
- Sticky residue or black sooty mold on leaves
- Leaves turning yellow, wilting, or dropping
- Ant trails on tree trunk and branches
If you spot these signs, it’s almost certainly lerps damaging your baobab. Take action promptly to limit their impact.
Effective Ways to Eliminate Lerps
When dealing with a lerp infestation, start with gentle, eco-friendly control methods before moving to stronger chemical treatments:
Remove Infested Branches
Prune away badly infested leaves and branches. This helps halt the spread. Disinfect your pruning tools before using on healthy parts of the tree.
Apply Horticultural Oils
Horticultural oils smother lerps on contact while being safe for plants and beneficials. Use them as a dormant spray in early spring.
Introduce Natural Predators
Ladybugs, lacewings, and other beneficial insects prey on lerps. Attract them to your garden with nectar plants. They’ll help keep lerps under control.
Use Neem Oil
This organic oil disrupts lerps’ growth and reproduction. Follow directions and coat infested leaves thoroughly.
Employ Systemic Insecticides
As a last resort, systemic insecticides absorbed by the tree can annihilate lerps feeding internally. Use judiciously.
Set Out Sticky Traps
Yellow sticky traps placed near infested branches capture adult lerps as they migrate around the tree.
Prevent Lerps from Returning
After eliminating lerps, be vigilant about preventing new attacks. Here are some tips:
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Check leaves regularly for signs of pests. Early detection makes treatment easier.
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Ensure the tree gets adequate water and nutrients to stay healthy.
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Trim branches touching structures to discourage easy access by lerps.
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Clear away weeds and debris near the tree that provide lerp habitat.
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Apply mulch to retain moisture and boost soil nutrition. Strong trees resist pests better.
With persistence and the right combination of organic treatments, you can successfully banish lerps from your beloved baobab and restore its robust health. Just stay focused on early intervention and prevention. A flourishing, lerp-free baobab will beautify your landscape for years to come.
Lerps may be tiny, but they can deal significant damage to baobab trees when uncontrolled. Protect your tree by regularly scouting for these sap-sucking pests, responding at the first sign of infestation, using organic control methods, and taking steps to prevent future attacks. With this comprehensive guide, you have all the information needed to successfully eliminate lerps and keep your baobab thriving.
What do Psyllids look like?
Psyllids have 3 life-cycle stages: egg, nymph and adult. Most species will go through 3 to 5 generations per year.
Adults look like a tiny, winged insect approximately 2-3mm in length, the wings pointing back over the abdomen in a V shape.
Nymphs are usually a miniature version of the adult form but without wings, more scaly and can look flattish. Some species hide under what is a called a ‘Lerp’, which is a little white, sugary covering that shields the nymph whilst it feeds and molts. Others cause pits or galls in the leaves.
Eggs are found singly or in clusters, sometimes found upon the leaf and its edges, other species insert the eggs into the leaf tissue.
What are the signs that you have Psyllids
We have 100s of species of psyllids in Australia. The most common species are the Lilly Pilly Psyllid, Lerp forming Psyllid, Gall forming Psyllid and Free Living Psyllid. These are all mostly found on our native plants and are most noticeable during the nymph stages.
These psyllids are often visible on the new growth of the plant. After they hatch, the nymph crawls into position on a young leaf to begin feeding and molting. After the first molt a pock mark or small pit appears on the leaf. As it grows and continues to molt, this pit becomes bigger, looking like a pimple on the leaf of the plant. The adult emerges after the final molt and the whole cycle begins again! Waterhousia floribunda is a particularly juicy variety to the Lilly Pilly Psyllid and often gets attacked.
Damage
Cosmetic damage to the leaves, causing the leaves to curl and pimple. Severe infestation can cause some leaf drop and stunt growth but it is rare that it will kill the plant.
Often seen on natives such as Eucalyptus, the nymphs will burrow into the leaf, causing a gall to form around it as protection. Once the nymph has reached maturity, it breaks out of the gall as an adult.
Damage
Only cosmetic, overall never getting so bad as to kill the tree.
These psyllids excrete a white, sugary substance to cover themselves as protection whilst they feed on the leaf of the plant. This is called a lerp. The lerp gets bigger as the nymph molts, finally emerging as an adult. Lerps are eaten by many animals such as birds, possums, flying foxes and gliders. They can even be eaten by humans as a sweet treat!
Damage
Light infestations cause a mottled appearance on the leaves, whereas a severe infestation can cause the tree to defoliate, affecting its growth and appearance. In some cases it can cause the tree to die.
Free-living psyllids are just that, free living! They feed on the new growth of the plant and create no protective cover like the previous psyllid types. Both the adult and nymphs are seen on the plant at the same time. They tend to target a lot of natives such as grevillea, wattles and eucalypts as well as ornamental plants such as Smoke Bush.
Damage
Can produce Sooty Mold and other waxy secretions, often deforming new growth with bad infestations.
How to Repel Elephants from Baobab Trees
How do you repot a baobab tree?
Repot baobab when plants seems root bound, roots starts to appear on upper surface. The baobab tree can be pruned throughout the year except winter. It’s easy, simply remove the shoots, which are located under the main crown. If possible, make a cut near bud.
How do you disperse a baobab tree?
The fruits and seeds of baobab trees are relatively large, and so their dispersal is best carried out by animals. Seeds that fall too close to the parent trees have little chance of survival since they will be shaded out and will have to compete with large, adjacent trees.
What eats Redgum lerp psyllid?
Redgum lerp psyllid is attacked by many predators including birds, adults and larvae of lady beetles (ladybugs) such as multicolored Asian lady beetle ( Harmonia axyridis ), adults and nymphs of minute pirate bugs ( Anthocoris spp.), green lacewings (e.g., Chrysopa and Chrysoperla spp.), syrphid fly larvae, and various spiders.
Does Redgum lerp psyllid use insecticide?
Limited research has been conducted on pesticide efficacy for redgum lerp psyllid. It is not known why some users report good control with insecticide while others find the results disappointing. Systemic insecticides are available for application into trunks or roots or by spraying foliage.