Green Lacewings

Description

Green lacewings, or common lacewings, are predatory insects and considered beneficial. Common lacewings are extremely numerous and prolific with worldwide distribution. Adults can be identified by their large eyes and they wings, which are largely translucent and threaded with net-like (hence: neuroptera, net-wings) veins.

Larvae of this family are called junk bugs for their particular camouflage strategy: they carry on their backs an accumulation of debris, including body parts of their prey. This hides their body almost entirely and makes them appear exactly like lifeless debris except for their movement.

In addition to their beautiful wings, lacewings lay elegant eggs on long, thin stalks.

Species

Chrysoperla sp.

"Common Green Lacewing"

Description

As adults, these are long, bright green insects with long antennae and large, translucent wings webbed with green veins. As larvae, they are flat and tan with long, curved mandibles, but their bodies are usually hidden beneath a large bundle of debris, including exoskeletons of past prey.

Notes

Identification of this family is quite difficult, even to the genus level. Chrysoperla seems likely based on light research, but I have low confidence. Like many holometabolic insects (which undergo complete metamorphosis including a pupal stage), different forms of these insects can have different names. The predatory green lacewing larvae are sometimes called junk bugs.

Images of Common Green Lacewing

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Twelve eggs of a green lacewing laid on the underside of a leaf. This is a fairly typical placement and arrangement of eggs, clustered on long stalks. Some appear to have hatched already; perhaps all of them have, as most never changed appearance.
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A junk bug, or green lacewing larva, hidden under its collection of debris while traveling on a plucked plant stem. The debris appears to contain flower parts as well as small exoskeletons of prey.
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Perhaps confused by being transported, the lacewing larva has deposited its camouflage and crawls around the plant stem uncovered.
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Finishing its exploration, the junk bug returns to its junk.
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Here the Chrysoperla larva has hoisted its debris pile back onto its back and travels on. Close examination shows the form of the insect's legs and mandibles underneath the debris pile.
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An adult Chrysoperla sp. having found its way indoors. Its bright green coloration is common, and species-level identification is difficult.
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Here the characteristic "lace" of the adult green lacewing's wings can be seen clearly.