Bug Identifier
Lace Bug
Community identification

Lace Bug

Family Tingidae

Order & Family
Hemiptera: Tingidae
Size
2mm to 10mm (approximately 0.1 to 0.4 inches)
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Found on the undersides of leaves of various trees and shrubs including azaleas, oaks, and sycamores.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivorous; they use piercing-sucking mouthparts to feed on plant sap from foliage.

Behavior Patterns

They are slow-moving insects that often live in colonies on the underside of leaves and undergo incomplete metamorphosis. They are known for the intricate, lace-like pattern on their wings and thorax.

Risks & Benefits

They are considered aesthetic pests in gardens and landscapes as their feeding causes stippling or yellowing of leaves; they generally do not bite humans or pose significant risks to the ecosystem.