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Green lacewings

Green lacewings (Chrysopa rufilabris). The larval stage will feed on any insect or egg that fits in their mouth. Thus green lacewings are helpful in control of many pests, both outdoors and in the greenhouse, and are especially good for aphids. Lacewing larva hatch looking like miniature alligators, and acting like insect alligators, feed right away on any insect or egg they find (including other lacewing larva and eggs).They grow to almost 1/2" long in 3 or 4 weeks, feeding on more than 400 aphids or other pests as they mature.

Upon pupation into an adult, they then feed only on nectar and pollen from flowers. Unless adults find nectar and pollen sources, they won’t lay more eggs, so you may want to grow a pleasant supply of flowers for your garden "alligators."

You can purchase green lacewing eggs from many sources today. The average backyard area will need 2000 to 5000 eggs to get started and thereafter about 1000 every two weeks should keep the pests slowed down. You can also buy green lacewing larva, already hatched and pre-fed. These may be even more effective and fewer are needed to start and maintain your pest control. There is less cannibalism.

Green Lacewings are one of nature's best predatorsbecause they eat almost everything; eggs, larvae and adults of mealybug, aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, scale, and thrips as well as other lacewing larvae. When using lacewings be sure to disburse them far enough apart so they find and eat other insects before finding each other (they are cannibals).