Lace Bug Nymph

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

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

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: 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.