Lacebugs VS. Lace Wings: A Tale of Two Insects

 

 

Though they share similar names and delicate appearances, lace bugs and lacewings couldn’t be more different. One is a plant-feeding pest, and the other is a garden ally. Here’s how to tell them apart—and why knowing the difference matters.
 

Lace Bugs: Ornamental Invaders

• Appearance: Small (2–5 mm), flat-bodied insects with intricately patterned wings and thorax—like living pieces of lace.

• Habitat: Usually found on the undersides of leaves, especially on azaleas and other ornamental plants.

• Behavior: They pierce leaf tissues to suck out plant juices, causing yellow spots, leaf curling, and eventually browning.

• Impact: Heavy infestations can weaken or kill plants. Their excrement appears as black specks on leaves.
 

 

Lacewings: Heroic Predators

• Appearance: Larger (up to 20 mm), slender-bodied insects with long antennae and clear, netted wings resembling delicate lace.

• Habitat: Found near flowers and foliage where their prey of aphids and mites are abundant.

• Behavior: As larvae they are voracious predators of soft-bodied pests. A single larva can consume hundreds of aphids during its development. Once they grab an aphid, they inject enzymes that liquefy the aphids insides, then suck out the liquid.

• Impact: Beneficial to gardens; they help control aphids, whiteflies, thrips, and other plant-damaging insects.
 

Why Confusing Them Could Cost You

Mistaking lacewings for lace bugs might lead to eliminating a natural ally by accident. If you spot lace-like bugs on your plants, take a closer look at body shape and behavior. Lacewings fly gently and hunt pests—lace bugs crawl and damage leaves.
 

Understanding who’s a friend and who’s a foe makes for better pest control and healthier plants.