Green lacewing

July 30, 2015

Chrysopidae

Adults

Pale green body. Large, transparent, pale green wings. Long, thin antennae.

Green lacewing adult

Eggs

Several hundred small eggs per female laid on thin stalks.

Green lacewing
An egg on a stalk compared with a penny. The egg is to the left of the eyebrow.

Larvae

Gray to brown and alligator-like. Large, sickle-shaped mandibles. Head similar in width to the pronotum.

Green lacewing

Pupae

Enclosed inside round, silken cocoons attached to plant material. Some species pupate in the soil.

Green lacewing pupae

Diet

Larvae eat aphids, caterpillars, beetle larvae and insect eggs. Adults may feed on insects or pollen, depending on species.

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