Psyllids, lerps, aphids & whiteflies (Hemiptera, several families)

Add a sighting Subscribe View significant View unverified

This category covers the Sternorrhyncha, one of the four suborders of the large order Hemiptera (bugs). It contains the Aphids (Aphidoidea) with 3 families and 169 species in Australia, most of which are introduced; the Jumping plant lice or Psyllids or Lerp insects (Psylloidea), very diverse with 6 families and over 400 species; and the Whiteflies (Aleyrodidae) with 119 species. The scale insects (Coccoidea), with 21 families and 854 species, are also classified here, but currently have their own category in NatureMapr.

The majority of Australian Psylloidea species - about 350 - are now classified in the families Aphalaridae and Triozidae.

References

Hollis, David 2004. Australian Psylloidea: jumping plantlice and lerp insects. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra

https://sites.google.com/site/insectsoftasmaniahemiptera/sternorrhyncha/psyllidae-lerps-jumping-plant-lice

Psyllids, lerps, aphids & whiteflies (Hemiptera, several families)

Featured sightings

Spondyliaspis plicatuloides (Shell Lerps) at Dunlop, ACT - 25 Aug 2024 by kasiaaus

Latest sightings

Psyllidae sp. (family) at Acton, ACT - 4 Jul 2025 by Roger

Glycaspis sp. (genus) (Unidentified sugary lerp) at Murrumbateman, NSW - 17 Mar 2025 by ConBoekel

Psyllidae sp. (family) (Unidentified psyllid or lerp insect) at Acton, ACT - 17 Jun 2025 by Hejor1

Glycaspis sp. (genus) (Unidentified sugary lerp) at Acton, ACT - 17 Jun 2025 by Hejor1

Glycaspis sp. (genus) (Unidentified sugary lerp) at Bonython, ACT - 30 May 2025 by AlisonMilton

Glycaspis sp. (genus) at Bonython, ACT - 30 May 2025 by AlisonMilton

Tuberolachnus salignus (Giant willow aphid) at Belconnen, ACT - 21 May 2025 by AlisonMilton

Moderators

MichaelMulvaney

KimberiRP

Amata

DiBickers

mcosgrove

jb2602

become a moderator

Announcements

Canberra Nature Map's Newsletter for June 2025

Yesterday

Hello everyone. Alison Milton has produced the June quarterly CNM newsletter. It has some interesting information about what the Nature Mappers have been doing and finding. We hope you enjoy the read....

Known issue affecting NatureMapr mobile app 6.3.0

NatureMapr Mobile App Update

Platform consolidation and impact to regional functionality

Improvements to Search

Discussion

KimberiRP wrote:

19 Jun 2025

Not a beetle but an immature 'psyllid' or Lerp Insect. It has lost its lerp and will now be very vulnerable. Two intact lerps are visible in the second image.
Most Australian 'psyllids' (290 species) have been moved to family Aphalaridae, with only 50 species remaining in Psyllidae.

Psyllidae sp. (family)

KimberiRP wrote:

13 Jun 2025

Bark louse of Order Psocodea. Not Hemiptera.

Aphididae (family)

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

4 Jun 2025

Also saw today 4 June 2025, Eastern Rosellas using similar method of feeding on aphids and their excrement and also Noisy Miners using different feeding technique of picking off individual aphids.

Myzocallis (genus)

Mike wrote:

27 May 2025

Photo of winged adult added.

Myzocallis (genus)

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

24 May 2025

Yep an introduced species that many feeds on Apocynaceae - would be good if it also had some impact on Vinca and Oxypetalum, but alas not

Aphis nerii