Pest profile

Avocado Lace Bug

Pseudacysta perseae · Hemiptera: Tingidae[2]

Avocado lace bugs feed in groups under avocado leaves; low numbers are harmless, but heavy feeding can drop leaves and sunburn fruit.[1]

Adult avocado lace bug with lacy, pale wing covers and a dark head and thorax, on a leaf
Adult avocado lace bug with lacy, pale wing covers and a dark head and thorax, on a leaf. (c) Mark Richman, some rights reserved (CC BY) — via iNaturalist, CC BY 4.0

How to identify it

  • Adults are about 1/12 inch long with a lacy, expanded thorax and wing covers and a dark head and thorax.[1]
  • Eggs hide under black, sticky globs of excrement on leaf undersides, like grains of pepper.[1]
  • Nymphs are mostly black or dark brown with spiny projections.[1]

Look-alikes

Look-alikeHow to tell them apart
Other lace bugsMost lace bug species feed on only one or a few related plants.[1]
Thrips and mitesThrips, mites, salt damage and sunburn can mimic lace bug damage; look for the bugs and black specks.[1]

Where it lives

It occurs in the Caribbean, Mexico and the southeastern U.S.; as of 2006, in California only in San Diego County.[1]

US map: public records from 3 states since 1990 (GBIF).

Biology and life cycle

Nymphs molt about five times; egg to adult takes three weeks in warm weather to months in cool weather.[1]

It has several generations a year, with all stages present year round.[1]

Damage and signs

  • Feeding makes pale green to yellow blotches, then large brown dead patches; leaves may curl and drop.[1]
  • Defoliation can sunburn limbs and fruit and reduce later yields; it doesn't feed on fruit.[1]

Health risk

It feeds on leaves; UC IPM mentions no risk to people.[1]

Control

Prevention

Low populations don't damage trees; confirm lace bugs before acting, since other problems look similar.[1]

Common questions

Why do my avocado leaves have yellow blotches and black specks underneath?
Avocado lace bug colonies cause blotches and leave black excrement specks.[1]
Do lace bugs damage the fruit?
Not directly, but heavy defoliation can sunburn fruit.[1]

Sources

  1. University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Pest Notes: Avocado Lace Bug (Publication 74134).” ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74134.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. iNaturalist, “Pseudacysta perseae taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/623080 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-14. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.