Adults are reddish to dark brown with red or gree markings. They are 1/10 of an inch in length. Transparent wings fold when resting. Nymphs are flat and broad with yellowish to greenish brown color. They overwinter in bark or litter. Pear-shaped yellow eggs are laid on buds or twigs in early spring and on leaves in summer. Eggs hatch into nymphs. There are 3-5 broods per year.
Affected leaves turn yellow, wilt and eventally fall off. The pest secretes honeydew. That means that black fungus or sooty mold is sure to be present to blacken fruit and leaves. The pear psylla also transmits an organism that causes dead of the whole tree or decline in health.
Controls include ladybugs. Attract them by planting Dutch or perennial crimson clover varieties or alfalfa. On the West Coast, the a natural control of the psylla is the parasitic wasp, Trechnites psyllae, which lays its eggs in the psylla nymph, eventually killing it. On the East Coast, Psyllaphagus, another wasp is effective. Ladybugs are the pests biggest enemy no matter where you are.
Grow pears that have thick skins such as the Red Barlett. You can spray with insecticidal soaps or light oils at budding time. Be careful not to use chemicals that kill the predators that eat the pear psylla.
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