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Identifying characteristics-
Adults are small, 3 to 6mm long. The black or brown wings are lace-like
in appearance and held flat over the body. The adults and nymphs are
usually found on the underside of plant leaves.
Eggs are
elongate and cylindrically in shape, looking like black smokestacks on the
underside of leaves.
Nymphs
start out wingless and colorless. As they mature their bodies darken.
They proceed through a series of instars, and develop wings.
Biology- Adult females lay groups of eggs on the underside of leaves,
normally along midribs. Once hatched the colorless nymphs go through a
series of 5 instars. An exception is the Rhododendron lace bug that only
goes through 4 instars. The nymphs resemble the adults but are smaller,
wingless, and may have spines. Each time the nymph molts it grows larger
and darker. Following the last molt, a set of full-size, functional wings
are unfolded.
Both the
adult and nymph forms of this insect cause plant damage via their feeding
habits. Their piercing-sucking mouthparts are used to penetrate plant
tissue and extract sap from the underside of leaves.
Plant injury
symptoms-
Both the adult and nymph
forms of this insect cause plant damage via their feeding habits. Signs
of damage are spotted discoloration on tops of leaves which can be
confused with mite damage. The underside of leaves, however are also
affected by litter consisting of excrement and exuviae (cast skins) of the
nymphs. Excessive feeding by lace bugs can also cause drying and wilting
of leaves.
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