General Description
Adult with two pairs of membranous wings, resembling a cicada. Young nymph wingless and secretes a smooth, white, conical covering (lerp) that resembles a shell. Body up to 8 mm long.
Biology
Sugar Lerp nymphs excrete honeydew that causes the growth of black-grey mould on leaves, but their feeding does not kill the leaf. Ants collect honeydew from the nymphs. The lerp cover provides protection from the weather, but does not prevent predation by birds and mammals.
Distribution
Central and Eastern mainland Australia and Tasmania.
Habitat
On eucalypt trees.
More Information
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Animal Type
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Animal SubType
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Brief Id
Conical covering, body like a small cicada.
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Colours
Green, Brown
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Habitats
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Diet
Herbivore
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Endemicity
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Conservation Statuses
CITES: Not listed, FFG Threatened List: Not listed, DSE Advisory List: Not listed, IUCN Red List: Not listed
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Taxon Name
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Common Name
Sugar Lerp
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Phylum
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Subphylum
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Class
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Order
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Family
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Genus
