Ecology: Psyllids
Psyllids are tiny sap sucking insects, sometimes called jumping plant lice.
The nymphs (juvenile stage, see photograph) often produce honeydew, or protective wax.
Classification of psyllids:
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Homoptera
- Family: Psyllidae
Outbreaks of psyllids can cause habitat decline through defoliation.
Helmeted honeyeaters eat the psyllids (the insects) as well as lerps and are thought to help control outbreaks of psyllids.
Populations of psyllids appear to increase more quickly in areas dominated by bell miners and there is often an increase in habitat decline.
Photograph by Brian Dumsday