The avocado lace bug (Pseudacysta perseae) is an expanding threat to avocado production in California. This bug was first described in Florida in 1908. Although it was assumed to be native to Florida, research from UC Riverside funded by the California Avocado Commission identified that it originated from the states of Jalisco, Nayarit, and Veracruz in Mexico. In 2004, avocado lace bug was discovered in San Diego County. While the insect stayed in residential areas for more than it decade, there was a second invasion event in 2017 and it started rapidly hitting commercial Hass avocado orchards in San Diego and Riverside. By 2021, it had moved up to Carpinteria, Santa Barbara. So far it has jumped Ventura Co. indicating this pest really is moved around by humans – clothing, bins, shoes. Otherwise it’s a pretty stationary beast, not moving far from where it’s introduced. And most chemical controls that have been trialed are only mildly effective.
Avocado lace bug may continue to expand as a threat to avocado production. Because organic management remains difficult, we need more research on the efficacy of different organic products, timing sprays, information on natural enemies, and economic thresholds. If you’d like to provide UC researchers with feedback on what we need to learn about avocado lace bug, come to the CAC/
CAS/UC - sponsored meeting on March 24th in Ventura County at the United Water District at 8:30am. For more details, contact Hamutahl Cohen at hcohen@ucanr.edu
https://ipm.ucanr.edu/agriculture/avocado/avocado-lace-bug/#gsc.tab=0