Community identification
Lace Bug
Family Tingidae (e.g., Corythucha sp.)
- Order & Family
- Order Hemiptera, Family Tingidae
- Size
- 2 to 8 mm in length
Natural Habitat
Found on the undersides of leaves of various trees, shrubs, and plants; also commonly found in gardens and landscapes.
Diet & Feeding
They are herbivores that feed on plant sap by piercing the leaf epidermis and sucking out cell contents.
Behavior Patterns
They undergo simple metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult). They are often found in large colonies on the undersides of leaves, where they leave behind dark, varnish-like specks of excrement.
Risks & Benefits
They cause aesthetic damage to plants, such as yellow or white stippling on leaves. While they are primarily plant pests and not dangerous to humans, they can occasionally bite people if they land on exposed skin, causing minor irritation.