Green lacewings

Adult lacewings feed primarily on nectar, pollen, and honeydew. While some species might occasionally visit plant tissues, they do not cause economic damage to crops. Instead, their presence is a positive indicator of a healthy agroecosystem capable of suppressing harmful insect populations naturally.

The larvae, often called aphid lions, are voracious predators. Their life cycle includes egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages. The female lays eggs on delicate stalks to prevent the larvae from eating each other after hatching. Once active, a single larva can consume hundreds of aphids, mites, and whiteflies during its development.

The damage caused by these insects is essentially non-existent in commercial production. Conversely, their predatory activity provides significant economic value by reducing the density of major pests such as aphids, scales, and caterpillars, which protects crops from direct feeding damage and virus transmission.

To protect and encourage lacewings, growers should minimize the use of broad-spectrum insecticides that are toxic to these beneficial predators. Implementing conservation biological control strategies, such as planting flowering margins or cover crops, provides necessary resources for adult lacewings, ensuring they remain in the field to manage pests effectively.