Community identification
Lace bug nymph
Tingidae (genus/species depends on host plant)
- Order & Family
- Hemiptera: Tingidae
- Size
- 1 to 8 mm (0.04 to 0.3 inches)
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.