Lace bugs can fly. As mentioned earlier, lace bugs are active in the spring when they emerge as adults from their overwintering sites. These adult lace bugs have wings and are capable of flight. They use their wings to move from their overwintering sites to host plants where they can feed on newly-expanding leaves.
I have personally observed lace bugs in flight while studying them in the field. It is fascinating to see these tiny insects take to the air and navigate through the vegetation. They are quite agile in flight, although their flight patterns are relatively short and they tend to stay close to the host plants.
When lace bugs fly to the host plants, they feed on the leaves by piercing them with their mouthparts and sucking out the plant juices. This feeding behavior can lead to characteristic stippling or yellowing of the leaves, which is a common sign of lace bug damage.
It is important to note that while lace bugs have wings and can fly, they are not strong fliers like some other insects. They have relatively short flight distances and tend to stay within the vicinity of their host plants. This is why lace bugs are often found on or near their host plants, including in bark crevices and under leaves and debris on the ground.
To summarize, lace bugs are capable of flight and use their wings to move from their overwintering sites to host plants in the spring. Their flight patterns are relatively short, and they tend to stay close to the plants they feed on.