Thursday, July 22, 2010

Chrysanthemum Lace Bug

After carefully studying our Lace Bug samples under a table top microscope, I must change my opinion.  These insects are not the Eggplant Lace Bug--Gargaphia solani--at all; they are the Chrysanthemum Lace Bug--Corythucha marmorata.  This is logical as the Eggplant Lace Bug is more commonly found south and west of Michigan and the Chrysanthemum Lace Bug is widely spread across the U.S. and Canada.

According to Ohio State University,  "The chrysanthemum lace bug has a wide host range. Aside from attacking its namesake and asters, this lace bug may also be found on goldenrod, Helianthus, Rudbeckia, and Tanacetum. This lace bug is unusual in that it lives on both the upper and lower leaf surfaces." 

At the Education Garden, our Lace Bug specimens were found on the leaves of annual Helianthus, which is sunflower. 
 
When you view the image of the Eggplant Lace Bug and compare it to the Chrysanthemum Lace Bug, what differences and similarities do you observe?

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