PEST

NAME
Brown Lace Lerp
Cardiaspina fiscella

ORDER
Hemiptera

FAMILY
Psyllidae

Description of the Pest
Adult lerps are small and look like very little cicadas. Both the adults and the nymphs feed having piercing and sucking mouth parts the adults winged. The Nymphs secrete a protective covering, called a lerp (which has a characteristic shape and colour for each species); this protects the nymphs from dehydration and predation. The brown lace lerp is so called because the lerp has a net-like, lacy structure. The nymph can move beneath this fixed covering.

Lerps     Magnified lerp covering

Life Cycle
Hemimetabolous having adults and Nymphs. There are between three to five generations per year.

Distribution of the Pest
These lerps are found in eastern Australia

Period of Activity
Mainly in the warmer months

     
Lerps and the associated damage to a leaf
The mature leaves look unattractive and a high percentage of the leaf tissue is dead

Damage Caused
The area surrounding the lerps becomes discoloured; initially having a red colouration which turns brown, as the nymph injects enzymes which break down the leaf tissue. The leaves may die under heavy infestations and be prematurely shed causing dieback. Affected foliage may appear brown in patches, having the appearance as if the leaves have been burnt. Trees that are attacked over several seasons may die, or their growth retarded. Stressed and repeated epicormic can weaken the trees to facilitate attack by borers, and fungal diseases. This insect feeds on mature leaves.



Susceptible Plants
Eucalypts some species are more susceptible, such as E. robusta, E. camaldulensis, E. blakelyiand E. botryoides.

Control

CulturalImprove the vigour of the tree to encourage new growth. Perhaps consider replacing in future with a different species of Eucalypt. Resistant hybrids may eventually be available.

Biological
None may be commercially available. Being a part of the ecosystem there are many predators and parasites which may reduce the populations

Chemical
Systemic insecticides may be considered for small trees but make sure the nymph is present under the lerp.

Note
It is your responsibility by law to read & follow the directions on the label of any pesticide.

Amendments by B. Sonsie Dip Hort Sc Burnley