GREEN LACEWING

 

Green lacewings are beneficials because their larvae eat pests such as whiteflies, scale, mealybugs and aphids. Green lacewings are known as aphid lions because they consume pests with such gusto. And that’s not all; adult green lacewings pollinate flowers and improve harvests while searching from flower to flower for their life source of pollen and nectar.

 

How do I attract green lacewings?

 

Make them feel at home! Plant coreopsis, yarrow and cosmos. And offer them a source of water, making sure they can crawl in and out of it with ease.

 

Factoids

 

This is not a fun fact! The larvae inject a paralyzing venom into the pest and suck out body fluids into their hollow jaws. These are very popular predators for aphid control in field crops, orchards and greenhouses. Adult green lacewings are mostly night fliers.