Lace bug nymph

Natural Habitat

The underside of leaves of various trees and shrubs, including azaleas, oaks, sycamores, and rhododendrons.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivorous; they use piercing-sucking mouthparts to feed on plant sap from the underside of leaves.

Behavior Patterns

They undergo incomplete metamorphosis. Nymphs often cluster together and leave behind characteristic dark, varnish-like spots of excrement on leaves. They are generally slow-moving.

Risks & Benefits

They are agricultural pests that cause 'stippling' or bleaching of foliage, which can weaken plants. They are mostly harmless to humans, though they may occasionally deliver a minor, non-venomous bite if they land on skin.

Identified on: 3/12/2026