Bug Identifier
Lace Bug
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)
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

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.