Hawthorn lace bug, Corythuca cydoniae (Fitch), is an important pest of many rosaceous trees and shrubs in landscape settings. Damage to deciduous shrubs such as Cotoneaster can be severe. Conventional control of lace bugs usually involves the application of contact or systemic insecticides to kill nymphs and adults. However, college campuses and other public institutions face increased pressure to find alternatives to pesticides to manage important insect problems. During the summers of 1999 and 2001, we investigated the efficacy of sequential releases of lacewing larvae in reducing populations of Hawthorn lace bug on Cotoneaster on a college campus. Lacewing larvae, Chrysoperla carnea Stephens and Chrysoperla rufilabris Burmeister, significantly reduced the abundance of lace bug nymphs on individual plants and plantings. Injury to the plants, as estimated by the numbers of damaged leaves and plant color, was also significantly reduced where lacebugs were released. Sequential releases of lacewing larvae may be a viable alternative to the application of insecticides in settings where the use of insecticides is restricted or unacceptable.
Species 1: Heteroptera Tingidae Corythuca cydoniae (hawthorn lace bug)
Species 2: Neuroptera Chrysopidae Chrysoperla carnea (green lacewing)
Species 3: Neuroptera Chrysopidae Chrysoperla rufilabris
Keywords: Biological control, Landscape Integrated Pest Management
The ESA 2001 Annual Meeting - 2001: An Entomological Odyssey of ESA