Tomato Potato Psyllid vs Frosted Pine Aphid

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Tomato Potato Psyllid Frosted Pine Aphid
Scientific Name Bactericera cockerelli Cinara pilicornis
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Triozidae Aphididae
Size 2.5-3 mm 3-5 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Sap Feeders Fungus Feeders
Regions Western North America, Central America, New Zealand Europe, introduced to other temperate regions
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Tomato Potato Psyllid

A small striped psyllid that transmits the zebra chip disease bacterium to potato crops. It also causes psyllid yellows on tomatoes through toxic saliva injection.

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Did You Know?

Zebra chip disease, which it transmits, causes dark striped patterns inside fried potato chips, rendering them unsaleable.

Frosted Pine Aphid

A large brown aphid covered in waxy powder that forms colonies on spruce twigs. It produces copious honeydew that supports sooty mold growth on needles.

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Did You Know?

Beekeepers value it because its honeydew production enables bees to make prized forest honey.