A l a b a m a
ANR-0193
A & M
a n d
A u b u r n
U n i v e r s i t i e s
Controlling Lace Bugs
on Ornamentals
L
ace bugs are common insect pests of many kinds
of shrubs and trees. Lace bugs feed on plant cells
containing chlorophyll. They do this by inserting their
strawlike mouthparts (stylet) into leaf pores called
stomata located on the underside of the leaf.
Adult lace bugs have wings that resemble fine lace
when viewed magnified. These small insects often go
unnoticed until damaged leaves begin to have a white
dotted (stippled) appearance. Small, tarlike spots of
excrement (frass) on leaf undersides are diagnostic
of lace bug infestations. Female lace bugs lay groups
of small dark eggs inserted into leaf tissue, midribs or
lateral veins, generally on the underside of the leaves.
A female can lay hundreds of eggs in her lifetime. The
spiny, immature lace bugs (nymphs) that hatch from
these eggs lack wings but, like adults, damage plants
with their feeding. Most species of lace bugs overwinter as eggs, although some overwinter as adults.
Lace bugs can have up to four generations each year
in Alabama.
Lantana lace, Teleonemia scrupulosa Stål, bug nymph and
adult. (Photo credit: Chazz Hesselein, Alabama Cooperative
Extension System)
Description
Lace bug adults are approximately one-eighth-inch
long, with mottled tan or gray clear wings that cover
the body. This mottling and the fine wing venation give
them a lacy appearance. Nymphs (immature lace bugs)
are less than one-eighth-inch long, lack wings, and
have dark, spiny bodies.
Damage
Lace bugs use their strawlike mouth parts to remove
leaf cell contents. This type of insect feeding is referred
to as piercing-sucking. Lace bugs feed on the underside of leaves, but most of the damage caused by their
feeding is apparent on the upper side of the leaf as a
white dotted or stippled appearance. Lace bug feeding
damage can be differentiated from the damage caused
by other piercing-sucking insects and mites (e.g.,
leafhoppers, spider mites) by the abundant tarlike frass
Lantana lace, Teleonemia scrupulosa Stål, bug nymph
and frass. (Photo credit: Chazz Hesselein, Alabama Cooperative
Extension System)
www.aces.edu
Adult azalea lace bugs, Stephanitis pyrioides (Scott), on the underside of an evergreen azalea leaf. Note the lacy appearance
of the wings and tarlike frass spots. (Photo credit: Jim Baker, North Carolina State University, Bugwood.org)
(excrement) that is deposited on damaged leaves,
especially the underside of those leaves. Heavily
damaged leaves can become completely bleached
and even eventually become brown and die. Since
lace bugs are often most numerous in mid- to late
summer, their presence may not be noticed until that
time of year when plant damage is severe. Broadleaf
evergreens, such as pyracantha and evergreen azaleas,
retain their leaves a year or more, so the damaged
leaves can remain on the plant more than one season.
Host Plants
Lace bug species are fairly host specific, that is,
each lace bug species specializes in feeding on only
one or, at most, several different plant species. The
azalea lace bug, Stephanitis pyrioides, attacks azaleas.
Hawthorn lace bugs, Corythucha cydoniae, attack
pyracantha, hawthorn, cotoneaster, and Japanese
quince. Lantana lace bugs, Teleonemia scrupulosa,
feed on up to fifteen species of plants; however, they
are most damaging to lantana. Lantana lace bugs will
also feed on lantana flowers and flower buds and
infestations can reduce or eliminate lantana flowers.
In places where lantana is considered an invasive
plant, lantana lace bugs have been introduced to help
prevent the spread of lantana. Sycamore lace bugs,
Corythucha ciliata, attack sycamore primarily, but they
may also feed on ash, hickory, and mulberry.
Control
Check plants periodically for the presence of lace
bugs. Make sure to check lower leaf surfaces and older
leaves. Spray all leaf surfaces, especially the underside
of leaves where most lace bugs live and feed. Spraying
can be avoided by using systemic insecticides (for
example, insecticides containing the active ingredient
imidacloprid). Systemic insecticides are placed in the
soil, absorbed by the plant’s roots, and transported to
the leaves where feeding insects absorb the insecticide.
See the links below for examples of insecticides
labeled for controlling lace bugs on ornamental plants.
Azalea lace bug, Stephanitis pyrioides (Scott), damage on
evergreen azalea. (Photo credit: Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado
State University, Bugwood.org)
Lantana lace bug, Teleonemia scrupulosa Stål, damage.
(Photo credit: Chazz Hesselein, Alabama Cooperative
Extension System)
Alabama Cooperative Extension System
insecticide recommendation links:
ANR-0500-B, Alabama Pest Management Handbook,
Vol. 2
Homeowner Ornamentals, Insect Control; Commercial
Ornamentals: Insect Control—Greenhouses
Commercial Ornamentals: Insect Control—Woody
Ornamentals.
Chazz Hesselein, Extension Specialist, Commercial Horticulture, Ornamental Horticulture
Research Center, Mobile. Originally prepared by Pat Cobb, former Extension Entomologist.
For more information, call your county Extension office. Look in your telephone directory
under your county’s name to find the number.
Published by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and
Auburn University), an equal opportunity educator and employer.
Web Only, Revised Dec 2011, ANR-0193
ANR-0193
© 2011 by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. All rights reserved.
www.aces.edu