# Walnut Lace Bug (*corythucha juglandis*)

The Walnut Lace Bug is a tiny insect that loves to hang out on walnut trees! It has a beautiful lace-like pattern on its wings that makes it look like nature's little artwork.

- **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Walnut trees and surrounding areas.
- **Also known as:** Lace Bug, Tree Bug, Walnut Bug

![Walnut Lace Bug](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Corythucha_juglandis_71361355.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Bill Keim, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Corythucha_juglandis_71361355.jpg)

## Appearance

The Walnut Lace Bug has a flattened, oval body with intricate, delicate, lace-like wings that are pale, almost transparent, and patterned with dark markings. Its head and thorax are dark, contrasting with the finely veined, reticulated forewings which give it its distinctive appearance.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Insecta
- **Order:** Hemiptera
- **Family:** Tingidae
- **Genus:** Corythucha

## Interesting facts

- Baby lace bugs, called nymphs, look spiky and don't have wings yet!
- Their wings look like tiny stained-glass windows under a microscope!
- These tiny bugs often leave behind shiny, sticky 'honeydew' on leaves!
- They communicate by tapping their bodies on leaves, sending secret messages!

## Special abilities

- **Lace Wings:** Walnut Lace Bug has exquisite, see-through lace wings that help them glide gracefully and blend into leaf textures.
- **Sap Sipper:** Walnut Lace Bug can pierce plant tissue with its straw-like mouthparts, allowing them to drink vital sap from walnut leaves.
- **Leaf Camouflage:** Walnut Lace Bug has a flat body and muted colors that help them expertly hide on the undersides of walnut leaves from predators.

## Measurements & details

- **Wingspan:** 6-10 mm
- **Size:** 3-5 mm
- **Lifespan:** 30-60 days
- **Leg Count:** 6
- **Colony Size:** 10-100

## Diet & Feeding

Feeds exclusively on the sap of walnut tree leaves, sometimes causing minor damage.

- **Primary Foods:** Walnut tree sap, Juglans nigra leaves, Juglans cinerea leaves
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** [Black Walnut](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-walnut) (*Juglans nigra*) — Feeds on the sap of its leaves, sometimes causing discoloration.
- **Eaten by:** [Asian Lady Beetle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/asian-lady-beetle) (*Harmonia axyridis*) — Adults and larvae prey on soft-bodied insects like lace bugs.
- **Eaten by:** Common Green Lacewing (*Chrysoperla carnea*) — Larvae are voracious predators of small insects including lace bugs.
- **Eaten by:** Flower Crab Spider (*Misumena vatia*) — Ambushes small insects that visit the leaves for feeding or shelter.

## Traits

- [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
- [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.

## Collections

- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects)

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Walnut Lace Bug?

Look for six legs, antennae, three body sections and the shape of the wings. Beetles have hardened front wings; flies have just one working pair. Tiny insects may need a close view before their group is clear. Insect Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### What is Walnut Lace Bug's wingspan?

6-10 mm

### How big is Walnut Lace Bug?

3-5 mm

### How long does Walnut Lace Bug live?

30-60 days

### What does Walnut Lace Bug eat?

Feeds exclusively on the sap of walnut tree leaves, sometimes causing minor damage.

### Where is Walnut Lace Bug usually found?

Walnut trees and surrounding areas.

### How does Walnut Lace Bug hunt?

Foraging

### How many legs does Walnut Lace Bug have?

6

## Where to spot

- [Morris Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/morris-arboretum) — Pennsylvania, US · Botanical Garden
- [Stanton Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/stanton-park) — Virginia, US · Park

## More Insects

- [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*)
- [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*)
- [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*)
- [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*)

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Source: [Walnut Lace Bug: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/walnut-lace-bug)