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Detailed Guide to Controlling the Azalea Lace Bug

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Hosts and damage characteristics: It damages flowers of the genus Rhododendron and the genus Pieris. It mainly feeds on leaf sap as adults and nymphs, and its excrement causes pinpoint white spots on the upper leaf surface that progress to complete loss of green, while the underside of the leaf turns rusty yellow; the plant's photosynthesis is hindered, growth is stunted, and leaves drop early. Morphology and habits: Adults are small and flat, dark brown, nearly 4 mm long, with membranous forewings covered in a network pattern. The pronotum extends forward to cover the head and also bears a network pattern. In the Guangzhou area, about 10 generations occur per year, and it overwinters as adults and nymphs.

Hosts and damage characteristics: It damages flowers of the genus Rhododendron and the genus Pieris. It mainly feeds on leaf sap as adults and nymphs, and its excrement causes pinpoint white spots on the upper leaf surface that progress to complete loss of green, while the underside of the leaf turns rusty yellow; the plant's photosynthesis is hindered, growth is stunted, and leaves drop early.

Morphology and habits: Adults are small and flat, dark brown, nearly 4 mm long, with membranous forewings covered in a network pattern. The pronotum extends forward to cover the head and also bears a network pattern. In the Guangzhou area, about 10 generations occur per year, and it overwinters as adults and nymphs. Nymphs are gregarious. The main natural enemy is the green lacewing, followed by spiders and ants.

Control methods: (1) Protect and use natural enemies; based on the activity and numbers of natural enemies, stagger the timing of pesticide application or do not apply pesticides. In addition, the application method can be improved by applying 3% carbofuran granules into the soil (5 grams per pot, 3-5 cm deep), or by trying systemic agents, applied by the wrapping method with 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 50 times dilution or by drenching with a 100-200 times dilution. (2) Spray promptly to kill nymphs, focusing on overwintering adults on the tree and first-generation nymphs, spraying 450% dichlorvos, 50% fenitrothion, or 50% malathion emulsifiable concentrate at 1000 times dilution, or 40% methamidophos emulsifiable concentrate at 2400-4000 times dilution, or 20% phoxim-malathion emulsifiable concentrate at 1500 times dilution.

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