Order: Hemiptera (TrueBugs)Family: Psyllidae, TriozidaeCommon Names: Plant Lice, Jumping Plant Lice, Lerps, Lerp Psyllid, Gall Psyllid, Lilly Pilly Psyllid
Psyllids are tiny sap-sucking insects that feed on the nutrient rich liquids inside leaves and transport tissues (xylem & phloem). Most species of psyllid will only feed on one specific host plant, however some species are known to broaden their preferences to plant varieties within the same family.
Lerps are tiny sap-sucking insects that can infest indoor plants like the artillery plant. These small bugs hide under protective coatings on leaves and stems, slowly damaging your plant. If you’ve noticed bumps on your artillery plant’s foliage, it likely has a lerp infestation. The good news is that with prompt action, you can get rid of lerps and restore the health of your artillery plant.
What are Lerps?
Lerps are insects in the Psyllidae family. They pierce plant tissue with their mouths and feed on sap. Lerps produce a protective covering over their bodies that resembles raised bumps on plant leaves and stems. These coatings shield them from predators and pesticides, making lerps difficult to control.
On artillery plants, lerps congregate on the undersides of leaves and stems. Their presence is apparent as small white or brown bumps. Left unchecked, lerps can weaken and stunt artillery plant growth. Their feeding damages foliage and drains the plant of nutrients.
Lerps thrive in warm, dry conditions. Infestations often begin when new plants are brought home from nurseries. Careful inspection and quarantine can prevent introduction of lerps and other pests.
Identifying Lerp Damage on Artillery Plants
Be on the lookout for these signs of lerp infestation on your artillery plant
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Raised bumps on leaves and stems. These house the lerps’ bodies.
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Stunted, distorted growth Lerps feeding inhibits proper plant development
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Leaf yellowing or browning. Lerps drain nutrients, causing deficiency symptoms.
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Leaf drop. Heavy infestations can cause extensive leaf loss.
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Sooty mold growth. The honeydew secreted by lerps promotes black mold.
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Webbing on plant. Some species produce webs for protection.
Thoroughly checking both sides of leaves and stems allows early detection. The sooner lerps are identified, the better chance you have of eliminating the infestation.
Effective Methods to Remove Lerps
Once lerps are confirmed on your artillery plant, take action to eradicate them using these methods:
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Prune infested parts. Remove badly affected leaves and stems to eliminate lerps hiding on them.
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Manual removal. Use an alcohol-dipped swab to scrub off lerps from leaves.
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Insecticidal soap. Spray plant with insecticidal soap to penetrate lerps’ protective coating.
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Neem oil. Neem oil smothers lerps and disrupts their growth. Apply it as a foliar spray.
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Horticultural oil. Smothering oil spray helps eliminate lerps on contact. Coats their bodies and suffocates them.
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Systemic insecticide. Systemic products incorporate into plant tissue and kill lerps feeding on plants.
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Beneficial insects. Predatory bugs like lacewings and ladybugs feed on lerps.
Combining methods provides the best control. Start with pruning, manual removal and regular insecticidal soap or neem oil sprays. If the infestation persists, incorporate systemic treatments and predatory insects.
Caring for Artillery Plants After Lerp Removal
Once lerps have been eliminated, your artillery plant needs some TLC to support its recovery:
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Keep soil moist. Consistent watering helps the plant heal from pest damage.
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Use fertilizer. Look for a balanced liquid fertilizer to provide nutrients.
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Increase light. Bright, indirect light energizes growth after lerps are gone.
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Monitor closely. Continue inspecting for signs of lerps and quickly address any you find.
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Quarantine new plants. Isolate additions to your plant collection to prevent reinfestation.
As your artillery plant regains its strength after fighting off lerps, you should see signs of vigor like new leaf growth and perky stems. Providing ideal care will continue to promote the plant’s health.
Preventing Lerps from Returning
While you may have succeeded in removing lerps from your artillery plant, they can easily make a comeback without preventive care:
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Keep plants away from infested specimens. Isolate or discard affected plants.
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Use sticky traps to catch lerps and monitor infestation levels.
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Allow plants to dry out between waterings. Lerps thrive on moisture.
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Provide good air circulation with fans. Stagnant air enables lerps.
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Inspect new plants closely before bringing them home. Quarantine them.
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Apply neem oil or insecticidal soap monthly as a preventive treatment.
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Bring in beneficial predatory insects like lacewings and ladybugs.
Keeping a close eye on your plants and conditions that could enable lerps will help avoid repeated headaches. Immediate action at first signs allows effective elimination.
Armed with the knowledge of how to recognize, treat, and prevent lerp infestations, you can keep these damaging pests from compromising the health of your artillery plant. Consistent care and vigilance will allow you to enjoy the unique foliage of a thriving artillery plant free of lerps.
What are the signs that you have Psyllids
We have 100s of species of psyllids in Australia. The most common species are the Lilly Pilly Psyllid, Lerp forming Psyllid, Gall forming Psyllid and Free Living Psyllid. These are all mostly found on our native plants and are most noticeable during the nymph stages.
These psyllids are often visible on the new growth of the plant. After they hatch, the nymph crawls into position on a young leaf to begin feeding and molting. After the first molt a pock mark or small pit appears on the leaf. As it grows and continues to molt, this pit becomes bigger, looking like a pimple on the leaf of the plant. The adult emerges after the final molt and the whole cycle begins again! Waterhousia floribunda is a particularly juicy variety to the Lilly Pilly Psyllid and often gets attacked.
Damage
Cosmetic damage to the leaves, causing the leaves to curl and pimple. Severe infestation can cause some leaf drop and stunt growth but it is rare that it will kill the plant.
Often seen on natives such as Eucalyptus, the nymphs will burrow into the leaf, causing a gall to form around it as protection. Once the nymph has reached maturity, it breaks out of the gall as an adult.
Damage
Only cosmetic, overall never getting so bad as to kill the tree.
These psyllids excrete a white, sugary substance to cover themselves as protection whilst they feed on the leaf of the plant. This is called a lerp. The lerp gets bigger as the nymph molts, finally emerging as an adult. Lerps are eaten by many animals such as birds, possums, flying foxes and gliders. They can even be eaten by humans as a sweet treat!
Damage
Light infestations cause a mottled appearance on the leaves, whereas a severe infestation can cause the tree to defoliate, affecting its growth and appearance. In some cases it can cause the tree to die.
Free-living psyllids are just that, free living! They feed on the new growth of the plant and create no protective cover like the previous psyllid types. Both the adult and nymphs are seen on the plant at the same time. They tend to target a lot of natives such as grevillea, wattles and eucalypts as well as ornamental plants such as Smoke Bush.
Damage
Can produce Sooty Mold and other waxy secretions, often deforming new growth with bad infestations.
What do Psyllids look like?
Psyllids have 3 life-cycle stages: egg, nymph and adult. Most species will go through 3 to 5 generations per year.
Adults look like a tiny, winged insect approximately 2-3mm in length, the wings pointing back over the abdomen in a V shape.
Nymphs are usually a miniature version of the adult form but without wings, more scaly and can look flattish. Some species hide under what is a called a ‘Lerp’, which is a little white, sugary covering that shields the nymph whilst it feeds and molts. Others cause pits or galls in the leaves.
Eggs are found singly or in clusters, sometimes found upon the leaf and its edges, other species insert the eggs into the leaf tissue.
Citrus Psyllids Bribe Ants With Strings Of Candy Poop | Deep Look
FAQ
How to get rid of lerps?
How to treat artillery fungus on plants?
How to get rid of psyllids naturally?
How to get rid of artillery spores?
How do you care for an artillery plant?
The Artillery Plant is generally easy to care for, but like all plants, it can encounter pests, diseases, and common problems. Spider Mites: These tiny pests can be identified by the fine webs they weave on the plant. They cause yellowing or speckled leaves. Increase humidity around the plant and wash it with a strong stream of water.
How often should you repot an artillery plant?
Repotting: Repot every 1-2 years or when the plant has outgrown its current container. Choose a pot only slightly larger than the current one to prevent excess soil moisture, which can lead to root rot. Propagating the Artillery Plant is straightforward and can be an enjoyable way to expand your collection or share with friends.
How to prevent artillery fungus?
Artillery fungus develops mostly in wood chip mulch. Choosing a different mulch is the best way to prevent it in the first place. Use bark mulch or cedar mulch instead, as they are resistant to artillery fungus. Redwood mulch and cypress mulch are not recommended for sustainability reasons as native forests have been depleted by timbering.
Where should artillery plants be planted?
When considering where to grow artillery plants inside, choose a southern window, away from drafts. Artillery plant care includes placing the plant where day-time temperatures remain at 70 to 75 F. (21-24 C.) and 10 degrees cooler at night. Part of your artillery plant care includes keeping the soil moist, but not soaked.