on Ornamentals
ANR-193 - Patricia Cobb, former Extension Entomologist, Auburn University
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on Ornamentals |
| Lace bugs are common insect pests of several kinds of shrubs and trees.
Lace bugs suck plant juice from the underside of leaves. Adult lace bugs
have wings that resemble fine lace when viewed with a magnifying glass.
These small insects often go unnoticed until damaged leaves begin to have
a splotched, yellow appearance. Small, tar-like spots of excrement on leaf
undersides can be seen.
Female lace bugs lay groups of small dark eggs under leaves on leaf
niidribs or crossveins. The spiny, immature lace bugs (nymphs) that hatch
from these eggs lack wings but feed just as voraciously as the adults.
Most kinds overwinter as eggs, although some overwinter as adults. There
are probably at least three generations of most lace bugs each year in
Alabama.
DescriptionLace bug adults are about 1/8 inch long, with mottled tan or gray and clear wings that cover the body. This mottling gives them a lacy appearance when viewed with magnification. Nymphs (immatures) are less than 1/8 inch long, lack wings, and have dark, spiny bodies.
DamageLace bugs puncture plant tissues and suck out the juice. They feed on the underside of leaves without piercing all the way through the leaf. Infested leaves have a splotched, yellow appearance. If feeding continues, leaves become brown. Since lace bugs are often most numerous in mid- to late summer. Broadleaf evergreens such as pyracantha keep their leaves a year or more, so the damaged leaves remain more than one season.
Host PlantsThe azalea lace bug attacks azaleas. Hawthorn lace bugs attack pyracantha, hawthorn, and Japanese quince. Rhododendron lace bugs attack rhododendron, mountain laurel, and related plants. Sycamore lace bugs attack sycamore primarily, but they may also infest ash, hickory, and mulberry.Check plants periodically for lace bugs. Be sure to direct spray to
the underside of leaves since this is where lace bugs feed. Treat when
nymphs and/or adults are present. According to the 2001 Alabama Pest
Management Handbook, the following chemicals are available to homeowners
for lace bug control.
Use pesticides only according to the directions on the label. Follow all directions, precautions, and restrictions that are listed. Do not use pesticides on plants that are not listed on the label. The pesticide rates in this publication are recommended only if they are registered with the Environmental Protection Agency or the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries. If a registration is changed or cancelled, the rate listed here is no longer recommended. Before you apply any pesticide, check with your county Extension agent for the latest information. Trade names are used only to give specific information. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System does not endorse or guarantee any product and does not recommend one product instead of another that might be similar. For more information, contact your county Extension office. Look in your telephone directory under your county's name to find the number.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, materials, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability. |
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