Bug Identifier
Lace Bug
Community identification

Lace Bug

Family Tingidae (General)

Order & Family
Order Hemiptera, Family Tingidae
Size
2 mm to 8 mm (approximately 1/8 to 1/3 inch) in length
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Found on the undersides of leaves of various trees and shrubs, including oak, sycamore, azalea, and hawthorn.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivorous; they use piercing-sucking mouthparts to feed on the sap from leaf cells, causing stippling or bleaching on the upper leaf surface.

Behavior Patterns

Lace bugs are typically slow-moving and often found in colonies. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis with eggs, nymphs, and adults often present on the same leaf. They are known for their intricate, lace-like wing patterns.

Risks & Benefits

While they do not bite humans or pets, they can be significant garden and ornamental pests, causing aesthetic damage and, in severe infestations, premature leaf drop in plants.