Bug Identifier
Lace Bug
Community identification

Lace Bug

Tingidae (family)

Order & Family
Hemiptera, Tingidae
Size
2 to 8 mm (0.08 to 0.3 inches)
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Found on the undersides of leaves of various deciduous trees and shrubs, such as azaleas, oaks, and sycamores.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivorous; they use piercing-sucking mouthparts to feed on the sap from leaf tissues, often causing stippling or yellowing.

Behavior Patterns

They are known for their 'lace-like' wing patterns. They often live in colonies on the underside of leaves and leave behind characteristic dark, varnish-like waste spots.

Risks & Benefits

They are primarily agricultural and garden pests that can cause aesthetic damage to plants; they do not bite humans or pets.