Lace Bug

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.

Identified on: 4/20/2026