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Psyllids attacked by ladybird larva
Cardiaspina sp.
-37.8959, 145.302
Field Notes
Description:
A tiny, sap sucking, psyllid nymph lives beneath a beautiful fan-shaped sugary lerp. One day a ladybird larva wiped out the entire colony. It lifts the edge of the lerp and wheedles out the bug inside. Each lerp is about 6mm wide. Some can be seen intact with the nymph visible through the semi-transparent lerp. One which is about to be attacked (pic 1) by the ladybug larva seems to have moved right to the far side, as if it lnows the danger.
Habitat:
Eucalyptus leaves.. (E melliodora?) This was a small plant 1 metre tall with many stems. Every leaf on the plant was severely discoloured by the action of the psyllids.
Notes:
These particular structures are commonly called 'Basket lerps'. Lerps are protective covers made by nymphs of psyllids. They excrete 'honeydew' which crystallises to form lerps. Adults can be seen in pics 2,3 There are about 4 species which make similar lerps but each with subtly different 'weaves'. <br>
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/22625257 <br>
http://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:afd.taxon:c0…
http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/forestry/forest_health/forest_health_fact_shee… <br>
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/14521216 <br>
http://m.dpi.vic.gov.au/forestry/pests-diseases-weeds/pests/insect-pest… <br>
http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_softbugs/Hyalinaspis.htm
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