Origin:
Native to Australia, as is Eugenia plants (bush cherry), and imported to the U.S. along with the plants.
Biology:
There may be up to 5 generations per year, dependent on temperatures. The female can produce hundreds of yellow, oval eggs, and partially inserts them into the margins of terminal leaves. The mobile nymphs then feed by inserting their proboscis into the plant tissues, causing the development of a pit or blister that disfigures the foliage. There is heavy production of honeydew and the resulting sooty mold, and heavily infested plants can suffer with serious decline in health and appearance.
Identification:
The presence of the pest is often discovered when the large, reddish blisters appear on the leaves of Eugenia. The eggs are yellow and inserted into the leaf tissue at the margins. The nymphs are flattened and scale-like in appearance, with a narrow border of short white hairs around their body. The adult is tan-orange to brown, with fully developed wings that extend past the end of the abdomen, and are similar in appearance to winged aphids. They lack the two cornicles on the upper abdomen that distinguish aphids.
Characteristicts Important to Control:
A great many natural enemies have been studied and released, often with acceptable results. These are primarily parasitic wasps that are also native to Australia. If infestations can be discovered early, prior to much leaf damage, a light horticultural oil may be effective. Neem oil and other tree oils can be applied with some effectiveness, concentrating on the lower surfaces of the leaves where most of the nymphs are found. A systemic such as imidacloprid also may be effective.
