Arthropods Daily – Issue No. 509

The green lacewing is a European species that has oval eggs attached to plants by stalks. The larvae, resembling small alligators, actively search for prey and inject enzymes into the bodies of their victims to digest their internal organs. The larvae grow, spin cocoons, and eventually pupate. Adult green lacewings are pale green with long antennae and fold their wings above their abdomens. They are weak fliers attracted to lights at night. The green lacewing is an important predator of aphids and other insects, and their larvae can consume large numbers of prey. The species occurs naturally in the northern hemisphere and has been used for biological control in various agricultural settings.