Previous studies have found nymphs of the azalea lace bug, Stephanitis pyrioides (Heteroptera: Tingidae), to suffer greater predator-inflicted mortality than adults. This laboratory study examined the influence of behavioral responses and physical characteristics on lace bug vulnerability to predation. A single late instar nymph or adult lace bug was restricted in defensive responses by varying mobility (mobile, part immobile, fully immobile) and removing wings (winged, wingless), and was then exposed to a single second instar green lacewing larva, Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). Nymphs were killed 2-fold more than adults (15% adult mortality). Surprisingly, prey mobility did not influence mortality. However, adults without wings (45% mortality) were killed 2-fold more than adults with wings (20% mortality). Interestingly, adult lace bug employ a wing “tilt” defense – deflection of predator attacks with the mesothoracic wing pair to prevent predator access to the prey’s underbody. When fully mobile adults were attacked and escaped predation, 9% exhibited no defensive behavior, 29% dispersed by running or dropping, 63% utilized the wing “tilt” defense, and 73% combined tilting and dispersal behaviors. Nymphs also exhibited tilting and dispersal behaviors, but were commonly unable to avoid predation and appeared more vulnerable to predation because they lack structures such as wings. This study describes a behavioral defense mechanism dependent upon physical characteristics to explain differences in prey life-stage vulnerabilities.