Meet the Azalae Lace Bug! These little guys will be making an appear soon! Be on the lookout for them. If you wait to treat your azalae until it's whitish sliver you've waited to late! NOW is the time to get a handle and control them this Spring so you can enjoy your azalae this summer!
What is the Azalae Lace Bug? Azalea lace bugs are the most common insect problem of azaleas. Adults are about 1/8 in. long with broad lacy wings, while the wingless nymphs are covered with spines. Lace bugs feed by sucking sap from the undersides of the leaves, causing affected leaves to have a stippled appearance. Infested shrubs have a bleached out appearance which progresses to bronzing with heavy or prolonged infestations. Because lace bugs overwinter (spend the winter) as eggs inserted into plant tissue, you may not see live insects on infested plants in the winter months, but the dark fecal deposits they leave on the undersides of leaves remain as a definite sign of lace bug infestation. Azaleas growing in full sun, rather than filtered shade, are more prone to attack, and some varieties are more susceptible than others.
How do you control Azalea Lace Bugs? For fast-acting control of heavy lace bug infestations, spray with a foliar applied systemic insecticide such as acephate (Bonide Systemic Insect Control) or imidacloprid + cyfluthrin (Bayer Complete Insect Killer). For long-lasting preventive control use a soil-applied systemic treatment such as imidacloprid (Bayer Tree and Shrub Insect Control) or dinotefuran (Greenlight Tree and Shrub Insect Control). For best control of heavy infestations, apply a foliar spray of acephate and a soil treatment of imidacloprid or dinotefuran.
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