Lace Bugs
Tingidae
Classification
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Hemiptera
- Suborder: Heteroptera
- Infraorder: Cimicomorpha
- Superfamily: Miroidea
- Family: Tingidae
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Tingidae: /ˈtɪŋɡɪdiː/
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Images
Summary
Lace bugs (Tingidae) are a family of small insects known for their lace-like appearance and are primarily plant feeders, causing visible damage to host plants. They have a global distribution and complex life cycles that can include multiple generations each year.
Physical Characteristics
Adults have a lacelike pattern on the dorsum; nymphs are usually spiny and black. Body appearance is flattened dorsoventrally, broadly oval or slender, and the head is often concealed under a hood-like pronotum. Size ranges from 3–5 mm in North America and 2–8+ mm worldwide.
Identification Tips
Look for the delicate and intricate network of divided areas on the pronotum and fore wings resembling lace.
Habitat
Primarily found on the undersides of leaves, often in urban and wooded environments where host plants are abundant.
Distribution
Worldwide, with approximately 2,000 described species.
Diet
Lace bugs predominantly feed on plant leaves by piercing the epidermis and sucking the sap, causing yellow spotting and sometimes browning and death of the leaves.
Life Cycle
Lace bugs undergo incomplete metamorphosis with four or five instars. They complete their lifecycle typically on the same plant and may have one to multiple generations per year, depending on the species.
Reproduction
Eggs are usually laid on the underside of leaves near veins, often in domatia.
Ecosystem Role
Act as herbivores and influence plant health; potential plant pests for specific crops.
Economic Impact
Some species can be very destructive to plants, affecting horticulture and agriculture.
Health Concerns
Lace bugs may bite humans when they fall out of trees; though painful, it is generally considered a minor nuisance and no medical treatment is necessary.
Collecting Methods
- Sweep nets
- Hand collection from plants
- Sticky traps
Preservation Methods
- Pinning
- Ethanol preservation
- Drying
Evolution
Members have been found in the fossil record from the Early Cretaceous onwards, signifying their long evolutionary history.
Similar Taxa
Misconceptions
Although they can bite, lace bugs are not harmful and do not pose significant health risks to humans.
Tags
- Insect
- Hemiptera
- Lace Bugs
- Plant Pests
- Entomology