ASIAN CITRUS PSYLLID
The Asian Citrus Psyllid is an invasive,exotic pest that entered the United States in 1998 in Florida. Since then, it spread westward throughout the South and reached Southern California in 2008. It is a small (less than 1/5th inch) brownish insect that sucks sap from infected citrus tree leaves. The larger damage potential is that it is a vector of the HLB disease, a bacteria that causes fruit to go bitter, leaves to yellow, and eventually the whole tree dies. The psyllid and related HLB disease is well on the way to wiping out India's citrus industry, and there are fears it could do the same in the United States.

Life Cycle
The psyllid eggs are extremely tiny, and are laid on new shoots and leaves on citrus trees. Each female can lay between 300-800 eggs during her lifetime. The eggs hatch into nymphs, which go through five instars to reach adulthood. Adults live for about a month. The entire life cycle can be completed in 2-7 weeks, largely depending upon the temperature. There are about 10 generations produced in a year.