Lace Bug
Scientific Name: Corythucha spp. (most likely)
Order & Family: Order: Hemiptera, Family: Tingidae
Size: 3 mm to 5 mm (approx. 1/8 to 1/4 inch) in length.
Natural Habitat
Found on the undersides of deciduous leaves, particularly sycamore, oak, walnut, and cherry trees. They are common in parks, gardens, and woodlands.
Diet & Feeding
Herbivorous piercer-suckers that feed on plant sap from the underside of leaves, causing 'stippling' or yellowing on the upper leaf surface.
Behavior Patterns
They are relatively sedentary, spending most of their life cycle on host plants. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult) and often leave behind black varnish-like spots of excrement on leaves.
Risks & Benefits
Generally harmless to humans, though they can occasionally bite if they land on skin, causing minor irritation. They are considered pests as heavy infestations can cause premature leaf drop and stress trees.
Identified on: 1/14/2026