Yucca Plant Bug – Halticotoma valida

Written by plant-admin on October 28, 2021.

Yucca Plant Bug – Halticotomavalida

Common Name: Yucca Plant Bug

Latin Name: Halticotomavalida

Appearance:

Yucca plant bugs are true (order Hemiptera) related to sucking pests like stink bugs and leaf-footed bugs.
Hemiptera has a three-stage life cycle comprising egg, nymph, and adult stages.
Immatures, or spirits, resemble adults but lack completely grown wings, making them appear more orange. Adults have a reddish-orange head, thorax, and dark bluish-black wings.

Host plant:

Yucca plant bugs have been observed feeding on five different kinds of yucca, as well as Dasylirion, a yucca-like plant. Yucca plant pests do similar harm to yucca as lace bugs do to azalea. They stipple the leaves, causing them to turn yellow and seem unappealing. They also leave unattractive black feces spots on the foliage.

Damages caused by Yucca Plant Bug:

Immature and adult yucca plant bugs eat plants by sucking plant fluids with piercing mouthparts. This causes yellow spotting on the leaf. Heavy infestations that are allowed to persist for an extended length of time can weaken or even kill affected plants.

Life history and habits:

Females deposit a light-colored substance around the cap of the egg after inserting their eggs into the leaf. Overwintering eggs hatch in late March, and a second generation appears around June 1st. These take 3 to 4 weeks to develop. In North Carolina, four generations are born each year. The nymphs are orange-brown and molt five times before becoming adults. In specific years, nymphs can be seen until November, while adults can be found until late December.