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- May 27, 2012
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The olive lace bug is an annoying pest that attacks olive trees in Australia sucking the life out of the leaves and in turn weakening the tree.
Signs of the bug infestation are light spots on the leaf from the bug feeding and visible animals under the leaf often with nymphs (offspring) which are much smaller.
The olive lace bug is about 2-3 mils in length and brown in colour.
In small numbers they don't pose a problem to tree health or fruit production but large infestations can defoliate trees and in extreme cases kill the tree.
Spraying with pyrethrum to reduce numbers is an effective treatment so is keeping the tree well watered, and fed appropriately with fertiliser to keep it healthy. Pruning once a year to encourage new bushy growth can also help.
Olive lace bugs with nymph shown in pic below...
Signs of the bug infestation are light spots on the leaf from the bug feeding and visible animals under the leaf often with nymphs (offspring) which are much smaller.
The olive lace bug is about 2-3 mils in length and brown in colour.
In small numbers they don't pose a problem to tree health or fruit production but large infestations can defoliate trees and in extreme cases kill the tree.
Spraying with pyrethrum to reduce numbers is an effective treatment so is keeping the tree well watered, and fed appropriately with fertiliser to keep it healthy. Pruning once a year to encourage new bushy growth can also help.
Olive lace bugs with nymph shown in pic below...