psyllid

plural psyllids

1. Any of the host-specific plant-feeding insects of the family Psyllidae, which feed on plant juices.

   2006, Elizabeth Grafton-cardwell, Asian Citrus Psyllid, ANR Publication 8205, University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, page 3, Psyllids extract large quantities of sap from the plant as they feed and produce copious amounts of honeydew.

   2 more examples

   Psyllids, sometimes called 'suckers', may either be regarded as constituting a single large family (sensu stricto) of about 2000 species, or else about eight closely related families (sensu lato).

   1987, Dennis S. Hill, Agricultural Insect Pests of Temperate Regions and Their Control, page 207

   1995, J. W. Beardsley, K. S. Hagen, J. R. Leeper, R, L. Tassan, 17: Acacia Psyllid, James Robert Nechols (editor), Biological Control in the Western United States, page 91, The acacia psyllid, Acizzia uncatoides (Ferris & Klyver) (formerly Psylla uncatoides), feeds primarily on the young terminal growth of Acacia and Albizia species.

   Synonyms: jumping plant louse