Common pear psylla - Psylla pyri

Damage:

Adults, larvae and nymphs cause damage by sucking sap from the buds, leaves, flowers, fruits and shoots of the pear;

During feeding, the psyllids excrete “honeydew”, which contaminates the infested parts, as sooty mould fungi subsequently develop on it;

It causes premature ageing of shoots, twigs and leaves by increasing their nitrogen content;

Its most severe negative impact on the trees results from the transmission of mycoplasma, which blocks the conductive vessels;

In cases of mass multiplication it causes weakening and death of pear trees;

It overwinters as an adult under fallen leaves, in cracks and under the old, cracked bark of the trunk and in other suitable places.

Control:

The main periods for control are in autumn, to reduce the overwintering population before its mass movement to overwintering sites, and early in spring;

Spring treatment should be carried out as early as the first warm days of February or March, when the temperature remains for three or more days above 5 - 8°C;

Control at this time is again directed against the adults, when they leave their overwintering sites and move onto the short and bag-like twigs of the pear;

Economic injury threshold - 1 adult and 8-10 eggs on 8-10 bag-like twigs;

Spraying with registered insecticides.

Thorough drenching of the trees with the spray solution (150-180 l/da).