Controlling Damage Caused by Avocado Lace Bug

Avocado leaf damage caused by avocado lace bugs

• Lace bugs restrict their feeding to the undersides of leaves, inserting their needle-like mouthparts into leaf tissue cells to extract cell contents.
• Feeding initially causes small white or yellow spots on the upper surface of the leaves as individual cells dry out.
• Feeding damage may provide entrance for pathogenic fungi such as leaf anthracnose fungi.
• As lace bug colonies grow, brown dead areas develop where there has been heavy feeding damage.
• Dead areas look similar to tip-burn caused by salt damage, but the necrotic areas are surrounded by living tissue.
• Heavy feeding can cause striking leaf discoloration and early leaf drop.

Avocado tree varieties vary in susceptibility to avocado lace bug

• West Indian x Guatemalan avocado hybrids appear to be particularly resistant to attack.
• Hass avocados (a Mexican-Guatemalan hybrid) can be severely damaged by lace bug outbreaks.

Biological control of avocado lace bugs

• The natural enemies attacking avocado lace bug in California are unknown, but are likely to include green lacewings and predatory thrips.

Chemical control of avocado lace bugs

• Pesticides used for controlling sucking insects may be effective against avocado lace bug.

Restrict movement of infested avocado foliage and wood

• Growers should refrain from moving avocado foliage and wood infested with avocado lace bugs.