Lace Bug Nymph

Scientific Name: Tingidae (specific species unidentifiable from nymph stage alone, often Corythucha sp.)

Order & Family: Order: Hemiptera, Family: Tingidae

Size: Generally 1 to 3 mm in length in the nymph stage.

Natural Habitat

Found on the undersides of leaves of deciduous trees and shrubs (such as sycamore, oak, azalea, or hawthorn) where they feed on sap.

Diet & Feeding

Sapsuckers; they use piercing-sucking mouthparts to extract sap from plant cells on the underside of leaves.

Behavior Patterns

Nymphs often cluster together on the underside of leaves, leaving behind dark, tar-like spots of excrement. They do not fly but can crawl actively.

Risks & Benefits

Risks: Can cause significant cosmetic damage to ornamental plants (stippling, bleaching of leaves) and premature leaf drop. They occasionally 'bite' humans if they land on skin, causing minor irritation, but are not venomous. Benefits: None significant to humans.

Identified on: 3/6/2026