Lace Bug

Natural Habitat

Found on the undersides of leaves of various trees and shrubs, including azaleas, oaks, and sycamores.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivorous. They use piercing-sucking mouthparts to feed on the sap of plant leaves, causing yellow or white stippling on the foliage.

Behavior Patterns

They are usually slow-moving and spend most of their lives on the host plant. They lay eggs along the midrib of leaf undersides and often leave behind dark varnish-like spots of excrement.

Risks & Benefits

They are considered garden pests as they can damage ornamental plants and trees. They pose no direct risk to humans, although they may occasionally bite if they land on skin, which can cause minor irritation.

Identified on: 1/13/2026