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.

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.

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

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

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