Lace Bug

Natural Habitat

Typically found on the undersides of leaves of various host plants including azaleas, rhododendrons, oaks, and sycamores.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivorous; they use piercing-sucking mouthparts to feed on plant sap from the underside of leaves, causing 'stippling' or chlorotic spots.

Behavior Patterns

They undergo simple metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult). In high populations, they can cause significant foliage discoloration. They are known for their distinctive rectangular, lace-like wing covers.

Risks & Benefits

Minor garden pest; while they can cause aesthetic damage to plants, they do not bite humans or transmit diseases. They occupy a niche in the ecosystem as a food source for predatory insects like ladybugs and lacewings.

Identified on: 1/14/2026