
Community identification
Lace Bug
Family Tingidae
- Order & Family
- Hemiptera: Tingidae
- Size
- 2mm to 4mm in length
Natural Habitat
Found on the undersides of leaves of various trees and shrubs including azaleas, rhododendrons, and oaks.
Diet & Feeding
Herbivorous; they use piercing-sucking mouthparts to feed on plant sap from the underside of leaves.
Behavior Patterns
They are slow-moving and often complete their entire life cycle on a single host plant, laying eggs along the leaf midrib.
Risks & Benefits
They are significant garden pests that cause 'stippling' or chlorosis on leaves; while not harmful to humans, they can severely damage ornamental plants.