Can you share a photo or two of what you are seeing? You can attach them directly to this reply.
First off, stop spraying, and let us know what you are using.
You wouldn't see damaged leaves recover, you would just see any new leaves look healthy. You can also burn leaves of plants (or affect non-target insects and plants when spray applications are made when the weather is hot or windy.

Lace bugs tend to be worse in landscapes where azaleas are planted in full sun (which stresses them) and where pesticides are regularly used. In healthier landscapes with little or no pesticide use and an abundance of different plants, their populations are kept in check by beneficial insects. That is the ideal goal.

Azalea can get lace bugs that are specific to azalea that you can learn about here: 
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/azaleas-and-rhododendrons-identify-and-manage-problems/
there are also different lace bugs that are specific to Rhododendrons and Japanese Andromeda as well but we don't see them on Mountain Laurel.

Let us see what your concerns are on the Mountain Laurel and we will assist. The most common problems that those shrubs have tend to be holes in the leaves (Shothole, which can look like insect chewing but is not, and is cosmetic and no chemical controls are recommended) and bark scale insects, which would looks like white flocking along the limbs.

Systemic soil drenches containing imidacloprid (a type of neoniconoid) have been found to be damaging to pollinators. In 2016, the Maryland Pollinator Protection Act was passed, which prohibits homeowners from applying them. Only professional, licensed applicators may do so. For this reason, applications would only be a last resort, and there are many other, less toxic, more environmentally friendly ways to deal with many pests. Here is a page that explains more: 
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/pollinators-and-pesticides/

Christine

Thank you for your prompt response concerning my bug invested azaleas and laurel bushes. I have downloaded some pictures of the azaleas surrounding my patio and of two Laurel bushes almost dead from an insect infestation. 

There were only two of the seven azalea bushes that survived the lace infestation that has continued for at least 3 years. The azaleas were here surrounding the patio when we moved in on 1/1987 and thrived before the infestation. They are in the semi-shade. 

The Laurel bushes were put in around 10/ 2019. We assumed that the deer were destroying them until I noticed some cobwebs on them. 

I sprayed in the early morning about two weeks ago with Safer 3 in 1 Garden spray. I am not sure that it helped. It lists its primary ingredient as "potassium salts of fatty acids."

I also have: 

1. Eight insect control with an active ingredient of Permethrin

2. All Seasons Horticultural Spray Oil : active ingredient = Mineral Oil

3. Annual Tree & Shrub Insect control with Systemaxx.

I have watered and fertilized the azaleas and laurels, but, if I do nothing else, they all will continue to die.  

I would appreciate any suggestions.

Judy 

Hello Judy,

Thank you for the additional information. Unfortunately, if you intended to attach photos, we didn't receive them. Can you please retry?

Webbing on Mountain-laurel (we assume, until we can see the photos, that they are Mountain-laurel and not Cherry Laurel, which are not related to each other) is likely due to spiders, which are not a plant pest. In fact, they eat insects that can be pests, so are good to have around. Deer will eat Mountain-laurel, so if entire leaves were missing or mostly torn-off, they are a likely culprit. In our experience, the issue most likely to cause serious decline in Mountain-laurel are root rot from soil that is too wet or compacted, branch dieback from root stress, and heavy leaf spot infections that can cause premature leaf shed. (These are naturally-occurring and widespread diseases that are difficult to eradicate if they appear.)

The Safer spray you mention is a type of insecticidal soap, a good low-toxicity option for managing pests like lace bug. It can be hard to spray well, though, simply because the bugs reside on the leaf undersides and sprays need to contact them well in order to be effective.

Permethrin can work for longer periods than insecticidal soap, but might be more damaging to beneficial insects and predators of the lace bugs if they come into contact with spray residues.

The mineral oil is a type of horticultural oil, and is on more-or-less equal footing in terms of risk with the insecticidal soap; don't apply while temperatures are above 85 degrees, and expect that leaves already damaged by heavy lace bug feeding might be "burned" by an oil or soap spray anyway.

The final product uses imidacloprid as its active ingredient, which belongs to the neonicotinoid group that Maryland banned for use by people who are not certified pesticide applicators. (As mentioned on the Pollinators and Pesticides web page that Christine linked to in her reply.) It might work well if used to soak the roots as the label directs, but comes with the risk of contaminating nectar or pollen when the shrub next flowers (we don't have data on how likely this is, and it may also depend on when it's applied, and in what dose). If you opt to try it, a certified pesticide applicator legally needs to be the one applying it.

If attaching the photos is unsuccessful, you can try pasting them directly into the body of your reply instead. Please use images at least 1MB in size so we can easily zoom-in to see enough detail if needed.

Miri