Community identification
Lace Bug
Stephanitis spp. or Corythucha spp.
- Order & Family
- Hemiptera: Tingidae
- Size
- 3 to 6 mm (1/8 to 1/4 inch) long
Natural Habitat
Commonly found on the undersides of leaves of various landscape plants, including azaleas, rhododendrons, and sycamores.
Diet & Feeding
Feeds on plant juices by piercing the leaf surface and sucking out nutrients.
Behavior Patterns
Inactive during winter, lace bugs become active in the spring when their hosts leaf out. They often leave tiny black spots of fecal matter on the undersides of leaves.
Risks & Benefits
Can cause significant aesthetic damage to ornamental plants and trees, appearing as stippling or yellowing on leaves. They are generally not harmful to humans.