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• Asian Citrus Psyllid
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Asian Citrus Psyllid

What Does the Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP) Look Like?
Adults are aphid-like in appearance, measuring about 1/8 inch in size. The bodies are grayish-tan with brown markings and mottled brown wings. When approached, they jump or fly.

When was the Asian Citrus Psyllid First Found in California?
The Asian Citrus Psyllid was first found in San Diego and Imperial Counties in August 2008.

What Types of Plants Does the Asian Citrus Psyllid Infest?
There are 56 host plants. The Asian Citrus Psyllid favors citrus plants and citrus relatives, including lemon, lime, tangerine, mandarin orange, grapefruit, kumquat and orange jasmine.

What Kind of Damage Can the Asian Citrus Psyllid Cause?
The ACP threatens citrus plants and citrus relatives in two ways: it damages new plant growth as it feeds but, even worse, it is a host to the deadly disease Huanglongbing (HLB). HLB is a bacterial disease that greatly reduces production, destroys the economic value of fruit and eventually kills trees. Once infected, there is no cure for a tree with Huanglongbing disease: within a few years, infected trees decline and die.

What Could That Damage Mean to California’s Economy?
ACP has the potential to devastate California’s $1.2 billion citrus industry if Huanglongbing disease is picked up by the pest and spread to healthy trees. A CDFA analysis suggests it could cost $224 million annually—20 percent of total production—if ACP and HLB become established in California.

Where is the Asian Citrus Psyllid Found in California?
Small populations of ACP have been detected in portions of San Diego and Imperial counties. No HLB disease has been found in California at this time.

Are Quarantine and/or Eradication in Place for the Asian Citrus Psyllid?
Agriculture officials have implemented an aggressive control and quarantine program to protect California from this invasive pest. Maps on quarantined areas can be found at www.aphis.usda.gov.

What Can We Do?
CDFA is asking people within the quarantine area to consume home-grown citrus fruit at home and to refrain from transporting home-grown citrus or citrus plants out of the area.