The caterpillars can completely skeletonize both young and older leaves. The damage  seems to accumulate slowly and then seems to accelerate as the larvae get concentrated on the remaining healthy leaves.

Damage from these larvae was observed in the quandongs about 2.5 years ago and earlier in the white beech. The damage in the white beech has not reached anything like the level of that in the quandongs although the growing tips are constantly attacked.

Gradual debilitation of the quandongs and then defoliation coming into winter has an unknown effect. We expect the trees to throw new shoots in early spring (as do frost effected trees) but anticipate they will be very slow to recover. The longer term effects are unknown as are those of repeated defoliation.

In eucalypts, psyllids can have a similar debilitating effect ultimately causing tree death.