Community identification
Lace Bug
Family Tingidae
- Order & Family
- Order Hemiptera, Family Tingidae
- Size
- 2 to 8 mm (approximately 0.08 to 0.3 inches)
Natural Habitat
Typically 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 the undersides of leaves.
Behavior Patterns
They are often host-specific. Feeding causes 'stippling' (pale spots) on leaves. They also leave behind dark, varnish-like spots of excrement.
Risks & Benefits
Primarily a landscape pest that can cause aesthetic damage to plants. They do not pose a direct health risk to humans, though they may occasionally land on and bite skin, causing minor irritation.