
Community identification
Lace Bug
Family Tingidae (various genera)
- Order & Family
- Order Hemiptera, Family Tingidae
- Size
- 2.0 mm to 8.0 mm (approx. 1/8 to 1/4 inch)
Natural Habitat
Found on the undersides of leaves of various trees and shrubs, particularly in ornamental landscapes, gardens, and woodlands.
Diet & Feeding
Piercing-sucking herbivores that feed on plant sap from the undersides of leaves, often causing stippling or yellowing.
Behavior Patterns
They are typically slow-moving and spend their entire life cycle on the host plant. They leave behind characteristic dark, varnish-like fecal spots on the underside of leaves.
Risks & Benefits
Generally considered a plant pest that can cause aesthetic damage to foliage; they do not bite humans or pets and are not known to transmit diseases.