lace bug

American

noun

any of several bugs of the family Tingidae, characterized by a lacy pattern of ridges on the head, thorax, and wings, and feeding on the leaves of oak, birch, sycamore, etc.

lace bug British

noun

a small bug of the family Tingidae, having a delicate pattern in the wing venation. They are plant feeders and include the thistle lace bugs ( Tingis cardui and T. ampliata ) and the rhododendron bug ( Stephanitis rhododendri )

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of lace bug

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

lace bug

There’s also the sycamore lace bug in Europe, which has been blamed for feasting on the elegant plane trees lining Paris’ famous Champs-Élysées.

From National Geographic ● Aug. 4, 2023

Unfortunately, in 2008, the azalea lace bug moved into Washington.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 20, 2018

This insect is much more damaging and harder to deal with than the rhododendron lace bug because it has multiple generations per year.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 20, 2018

Then, the only lace bug that infested these plants was the rhododendron lace bug.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 20, 2018

Fairy lace bug, we are glad to make your acquaintance.

From The Insect Folk by Margaret Warner Morley

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023