Azalea Lace Bug vs Rhododendron Leafhopper

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Azalea Lace Bug Rhododendron Leafhopper
Scientific Name Stephanitis pyrioides Graphocephala fennahi
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Tingidae Cicadellidae
Size 3-4 mm 8-9 mm
Habitat Underground Underground
Diet Herbivores Fungus Feeders
Regions East Asia, North America, Europe North America, invasive in Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Azalea Lace Bug

A tiny lace bug with beautifully ornate, net-veined wings that is a major pest of azaleas and rhododendrons. Native to East Asia, it has become established in North America and Europe. Feeding causes white stippling on leaves.

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Did You Know?

Females insert their eggs into leaf tissue and cover them with a dark varnish-like substance, making them nearly invisible to predators.

Rhododendron Leafhopper

A brightly colored red and blue-green leafhopper that feeds on rhododendrons. It vectors a fungus that causes rhododendron bud blast disease.

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Did You Know?

Its vivid candy-stripe coloration makes it one of the most recognizable leafhoppers in gardens.