The larvae of green lacewings are predators of a range of cotton pests. In contrast the adult green lacewing is not a predator but feeds on nectar and honeydew from aphids. The adults are active fliers during the morning, evening and night. They occur in cotton during spring and summer.

Identification: Eggs are white, oval shaped and on stalks. Larvae are 1-8mm long, with large, hollow, sickle-shaped jaws that they drive into soft bodied insects or eggs before sucking up the contents. They camouflage themselves with remnants of dead prey which they place onto their backs. Adults are 14mm long, green with two pairs of delicate transparent wings. The pupal cocoon is also camouflaged with corpses.

Lifecycle: Development from egg to adult is up to 25 days. Eggs take about 4 days to hatch, larvae moult 3 times over 12 days, and the pupal period is about 9 days. Adults live for up to 30 days.

Habitat: Since adults feed on nectar and pollen, flowering crops or flowering vegetation nearby will encourage adults to stay in the landscape.

Targeted prey: Larvae are general predators and feed on insects such as thrips, mites, aphids, immature mealybugs, moth eggs and small caterpillars.

 
“Each egg sits on the end of a slender stalk, which elevates it; decreasing the chance of predation by ants. Green lacewing eggs take about four days to hatch.” 1mm Photo: C. Mares

“Green lacewing larvae camouflage themselves with remnants of dead prey which they place onto their backs.” 4mm Photo: C. Mares

 
“Adult green lacewings are not predators but feed on nectar and honeydews from aphids. This lacewing is covered in pollen from foraging inside a flower.” 12mm Photo: C. Mares