Bug Identifier
Lace Bug
Community identification

Lace Bug

Stephanitis spp.

Order & Family
Hemiptera: Tingidae
Size
2 to 8 mm in length
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Typically found on the undersides of leaves of trees and shrubs, such as azaleas, rhododendrons, and oaks.

Diet & Feeding

Plant sap; they use piercing-sucking mouthparts to drain fluids from the cells of host leaves.

Behavior Patterns

They are often found in large groups on the underside of leaves. Their feeding creates a characteristic 'stippling' or yellowing on the top side of the leaf, and they often leave behind dark, varnish-like spots of excrement.

Risks & Benefits

They are leaf-feeding pests that can cause aesthetic damage to ornamental plants; they do not pose a direct threat to humans, but heavy infestations can weaken host plants.