Community identification
Lace Bug
Stephanitis sp.
- Order & Family
- Hemiptera: Tingidae
- Size
- 2 mm to 4 mm (1/8 to 1/4 inch)
Natural Habitat
Found on the undersides of leaves of various landscape plants, shrubs, and deciduous trees worldwide.
Diet & Feeding
Piercing-sucking mouthparts used to feed on the sap from the undersides of host plant leaves.
Behavior Patterns
Lace bugs typically produce several generations per year and are known for leaving dark, varnish-like spots of excrement on the leaf surface. They are slow-moving and often group together.
Risks & Benefits
Primarily a plant pest; heavy infestations can cause yellowing (stippling) of leaves and premature leaf drop. They do not bite humans and pose no health risk beyond potential cosmetic damage to gardens.