
Community identification
Lace Bug
Calyptodes sp. or Corythucha sp. (likely genus)
- Order & Family
- Order Hemiptera; Family Tingidae
- Size
- 2mm to 8mm in length
Natural Habitat
Found on the undersides of leaves of various trees and shrubs including sycamore, oak, and azaleas.
Diet & Feeding
Herbivorous. These insects use piercing-sucking mouthparts to feed on the sap of plant leaves, often causing stippling (pale spots).
Behavior Patterns
They are named for the lace-like patterns on their wings and thorax. They often live in colonies on the underside of foliage and leave behind dark, varnish-like excrement spots.
Risks & Benefits
Primarily a garden and agricultural pest that can damage ornamental plants; they do not bite humans or pets and are not known to transmit diseases.