Bug Identifier
Lace Bug
Community identification

Lace Bug

Family Tingidae

Order & Family
Order Hemiptera, Family Tingidae
Size
2mm to 10mm (0.08 to 0.4 inches)
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Typically found on the undersides of leaves of various trees and shrubs, including oak, sycamore, azalea, and hawthorn.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivorous. They use piercing-sucking mouthparts to feed on plant sap from the underside of leaves, often causing stippling (yellow spots).

Behavior Patterns

They are slow-moving and often spend their entire life cycle on a single host plant. They lay eggs along the leaf veins and produce sticky dark spots of excrement on the foliage.

Risks & Benefits

Generally harmless to humans though they may occasionally deliver a minor, non-toxic bite if they land on skin. Primarily considered a garden pest that can cause aesthetic damage to ornamental plants and weaken trees during heavy infestations.