Bug Identifier
Lace Bug
Community identification

Lace Bug

Family Tingidae

Order & Family
Order Hemiptera, Family Tingidae
Size
2 to 8 mm in length
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Typically found on the undersides of leaves of various trees and shrubs, such as sycamore, azalea, or oak.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivorous; they use piercing-sucking mouthparts to feed on plant sap from the undersides of leaves, often causing stippling or yellowing.

Behavior Patterns

They are relatively sedentary and often live in colonies on the leaves of their host plants. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult).

Risks & Benefits

Generally harmless to humans, though they can occasionally bite if they land on skin. They are primarily considered aesthetic pests in landscaping as they can damage foliage.