# Box Sucker (*Psylla buxi*)

The Box Sucker is a tiny insect that loves to munch on boxwood plants. They are small and can be found hopping around on leaves, making them fun to spot in gardens.

- **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Urban areas

![Box Sucker](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Psylla_buxi.02.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Mick E. Talbot, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Psylla_buxi.02.jpg)

## Appearance

The Box Sucker is a tiny, greenish-yellow insect, somewhat flattened with clear, veined wings held roof-like over its body. It has short, stout antennae and resembles a miniature cicada or leafhopper, visually distinct from flies or moths.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Insecta
- **Order:** Hemiptera
- **Family:** Psyllidae
- **Genus:** Psylla

## Interesting facts

- Baby Box Suckers make a fluffy white 'wax house' around themselves!
- Box Suckers produce sticky 'honeydew' that ants absolutely love to eat!
- They look like tiny cicadas, small enough to easily fit on your pinky nail!
- When many Box Suckers feed, they can make boxwood leaves curl like spoons!

## Special abilities

- **Sap Siphon:** Box Sucker can drink plant sap using a special straw-like mouthpart that helps them get nutrients directly from boxwood leaves.
- **Springboard Leap:** Box Sucker can quickly jump surprising distances for its size, which helps them escape from predators or move between leaves.
- **Waxy Cloak Craft:** Box Sucker nymphs can produce white, waxy strands that help them hide and protect their soft bodies from danger.

## Measurements & details

- **Wingspan:** 4-6 mm
- **Size:** 2-3 mm
- **Lifespan:** 30-90 days
- **Flight Speed:** 0.1-0.5 km/h
- **Leg Count:** 6
- **Colony Size:** 20-200

## Diet & Feeding

These tiny insects drink the nutritious sap from boxwood plants using a special straw-like mouthpart.

- **Primary Foods:** Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) sap, Boxwood (Buxus microphylla) sap, Boxwood (Buxus sinica) sap
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** Common Boxwood (*Buxus sempervirens*) — Box Suckers feed exclusively on its sap.
- **Eaten by:** Seven-spotted Ladybug (*Coccinella septempunctata*) — Ladybug larvae and adults prey on Box Suckers.
- **Symbiotic with:** [Black Garden Ant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-garden-ant) (*Lasius niger*) — Ants tend Box Suckers for their sweet honeydew.
- **Parasitizes:** Boxwood Psyllid Parasitoid Wasp (*Psyllaephagus procerus*) — Female wasps lay eggs inside Box Sucker nymphs.

## Traits

- [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
- [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
- [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

It's best to look at insects from a distance and not touch them.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Box Sucker?

Look for six legs, antennae, three body sections and the shape of the wings. Beetles have hardened front wings; flies have just one working pair. Tiny insects may need a close view before their group is clear. Insect Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### What is Box Sucker's wingspan?

4-6 mm

### How big is Box Sucker?

2-3 mm

### How long does Box Sucker live?

30-90 days

### How fast can Box Sucker fly?

0.1-0.5 km/h

### What does Box Sucker eat?

These tiny insects drink the nutritious sap from boxwood plants using a special straw-like mouthpart.

### Where is Box Sucker usually found?

Urban areas

### How does Box Sucker hunt?

Foraging

## Where to spot

- [John Jay Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/john-jay-park) — New York, US · Park

## More Insects

- [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*)
- [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*)
- [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*)
- [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*)

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Source: [Box Sucker: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/box-sucker)