11. Late instar psyllid nymphs, eggs, and single adult
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Insect Description
1. Adult psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli). Black with white markings on the abdomen and clear wings, approximately 2 mm in length. Common hosts include potato, tomato, pepper, and several solanaceous weeds. Known to be a vector for psyllid yellows and zebra chip disease of potato.
2. Newly emerged psyllid lacking adult markings.
3. Late instar psyllid nymph (approximately 2 mm in length). Wing buds forming and green-yellow coloration. Should not be confused with potato leafhopper nymphs (see Figure 10).
4. Early instar psyllid nymph. Small and scale-like in appearance.
5. Psyllid eggs. Orange, football-shaped, and approximately the size of a pinhead. They are set upon a fine hair-like stalk.
6. Early instar psyllid nymphs on a tomato leaf (approximately 1 mm in length). Notice the size in comparison to the foliar hairs.
7. Newly emerged adult psyllids and honeydew on a tomato leaf. Psyllid honeydew dries quickly and is easily noticeable during heavy psyllid infestations. The leaves appear as if they have been coated in sugar.
8. Adult psyllids clustered onto a tomato stem.
9. Larval Coccinellidae (ladybird beetle), which is a common generalist predator of psyllids, and a beneficial insect.
10. Potato leafhopper nymph, not to be confused with psyllid nymphs.
11. Late instar psyllid nymphs, eggs, and a single adult on the underside of a tomato leaf.
Extension is a Division of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln cooperating with the Counties and the United States Department of Agriculture.
University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension educational programs abide with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.
