Gotta Love this Beauty in your Garden

They are beautiful and ‘deadly’

Green Lacewings are a kind of pale green color. They’re very, very beautiful in my opinion. They have lacy wings … so lots of veins, lots of cross-veins. A lot of times, they are mistaken for dragonflies and damselflies. But lacewings are going to have shorter bodies, and they have smaller eyes and they have longer antennae. 

The larvae of Lacewings (Chrysoperla spp.) are voracious predators of aphids and other soft-bodied insects. Lacewings are found naturally in most areas with good flowering cover crops and food crops. Lacewing adults need pollen, nectar, or honeydew to lay eggs.

If you are introducing these fabulous predators in the greenhouse, food sources such as pollen, nectar, or honeydew must be provided. Otherwise, the eggs and larvae are generally considered a one-time treatment (like a pesticide) rather than with the expectation that they will become established.

In outdoor conditions, Lacewings will typical perpetuate, but many times, if pest infestations are rising, the introduction of larvae can be a good way to tip the scale.

To assure the steady population it is helpful to provide popular lacewing host plants including cilantro, dill, fennel, yarrow, cosmos, or sunflower. Also, create a suitable habitat. Lacewings need a safe and protected place to lay their eggs. Shrubs, tall grasses, and other vegetation can provide that shelter and protection.

Lacewing Conservation Tips: Minimum releases of larvae in borders of early varieties of insectary refugia of grasses, corn, sunflower, legumes, oilseed Brassicas results in large movements of adults into later varieties of trees, ornamentals, and vegetables. Artificial pollen sprays and sticks also lure lacewings back to the garden

To attract lacewings to your garden in the Mineral Wells area, consider planting flowers from the Asteraceae family (like sunflowers and coreopsis), the Apiaceae family (like dill and fennel), and other plants like cosmos, yarrow, and goldenrod

Lacewing Life Cycle: The green lacewing life cycle, from egg to adult, is typically 37 to 60 days. The adult female lays about 100 to 300 eggs during her several-week lifespan. The larval stage, when they are MOST beneficial, is about 2 weeks. They can easily consume 100+ aphids per day per larvae.

 If you would like to introduce Lacewings to your garden as needed, they are available and are an affordable way to assure abundant, sustainable harvests. This company has been delivering quality lacewing eggs and larvae for over 60 years. Their website is https://rinconvitova.com/