Green lacewing larvae are a welcome insect predator in the organic garden, as they control aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, and thrips. Gardeners can attract adult lacewings to the landscape with the plantings they love, and gardeners with serious insect pest outbreaks can buy large quantities of this beneficial insect.
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Most gardeners are familiar with the much-lauded ladybug, but the humble green lacewing is just as common and may consume even more garden pests. Entomologists describe the larvae stage of the insect as resembling alligators, with their grayish-green coloration and scaly appearance.
The larval stage maxes out at 8 millimeters, metamorphosing into the winged adult after 2 weeks of life. The adults range from 15 to 20 millimeters in size, have pale green bodies, and long clear wings.
Because green lacewing adults feed on nectar and pollen, a pest problem alone isn’t likely to attract this insect. However, adults do feed on aphid honeydew, if the voracious larvae let the aphids live long enough to produce honeydew.
Adult green lacewings appreciate flowers in the daisy family, such as coneflowers, yarrow, and Shasta daisies. Small-flowered plants in the carrot family are lacewing friendly, so include some dill, fennel, and parsley in the vegetable garden. Finally, the flowering phase of mint family plants attracts green lacewings, so add oregano, rosemary, and thyme to the herb garden.
Organic garden supply companies like Gardens Alive, Arbico Organics, and Worm’s Way all sell green lacewings for the garden and organic farm. Suppliers typically sell the eggs in lots of 1000, which is sufficient for 200 square feet of garden space. Gardeners should keep in mind that when ordering live beneficial insects, it’s important to schedule the delivery so that they don’t sit in a shipping warehouse over a long weekend. Most reputable suppliers won’t ship after Wednesday due to this possibility.
Beneficial insect suppliers typically sell green lacewings as eggs, and gardeners can place these in the garden as soon as they are received. If, for some reason, it isn’t possible to place the eggs in the garden right away, the gardener should keep them at room temperature in an area out of direct sunlight.
If the gardener keeps the green lacewing eggs indoor too long, the larvae may begin to hatch. One can see the small larvae wiggling with the naked eye if one looks closely. At this point, it’s critical to move the larvae outdoors where they can begin to feed and develop. Gardeners will have the most luck retaining released green lacewings if the host food is present. Furthermore, the larvae need moisture, so releasing them in the evening and lightly misting the release area can encourage the lacewings to call the garden their new home.
Source:
Cornell University
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