The sugarcane lace bug, Leptodictya tabida (Herrich-Schaeffer)

The sugarcane lace bug was first described by Herrich-Schaeffer as Monanthia tabida from specimens collected in Mexico in 1839 and synonymized as Leptodictya tabida (Herrich-Schaeffer) by Champion in 1900 (Heidemann 1913). It was discovered on sugarcane, Saccharum officinarum L. in Palm Beach County, Florida, in July 1990. A survey conducted shortly after the discovery of this pest in Florida showed that many sugarcane fields in Palm Beach, Hendry and Collier counties were infested with L. tabida. Several hundred acres of sugarcane in Palm Beach County displayed red russeting (Fig. 4), with more than 100 adults and nymphs of L. tabida found on some leaves (Hall 1990, 1991). This insect could become a major pest of sugarcane in Florida, perhaps more so during dry years.