An Encounter with The Delicate Green Lacewing in Al Munay, RAK

A delicate looking lacewing feeding and resting on a stalk of desert flowers

A lacewing adult is slender, with pale green body, large eyes and soft lacy wings

Blending completely with its beautiful blossoms environment

Can you spot the lacewing on the flower stalk?

It was early morning in Wadi Al Munay. The early birds are chirping,  we were chasing after a few tiny toads hiding under the shade of a tree and grasses along the dry river bed. There were a number of  insects flying and hovering around us. Among these actively flying insects, the delicately looking, softly fluttering, green-colored lacy wing insects caught my attention. It was gently flying, landing, crawling and hiding on the tree branches and on the flower stalks of grasses underneath the tree. Wow! I was able to encounter the Green Lacewing!

GREEN LACEWING, Chrysoperla carnea (NEUROPTERA: CHRYSOPIDAE)

Adult green lacewings, Chrysoperla carnea are green colored, slender, delicately looking insects with long hair-like antennae, large golden to tarnished brown eyes, and soft wings (wingspan - 24mm) bearing many cross veins revealing the distinguished lacy appearance.

The larvae are brownish, elongate, flattened, with distinct legs and large sickle shaped, hollow mandibles. They can reach up to 8mm in length. They are also described as "alligators with pincers." Green Lacewing larvae are also called "Aphid Lions"  

Biodynamic Notes

The female green lacewing lays its eggs singly and placed it on the tip of stalk like extensions situated on the undersurface of leaves. This is done to avoid predation from other insects moving along the leaf surface and also as a deterrent to cannibalism by sibling larvae. These egg stalks are laid in close proximity to populations of potential prey. A female can lay hundred of eggs in her lifespan. These eggs hatch into larvae within 3-5 days. Adults feed on nectar, pollen and honey dew.

The lacewing larvae are called "Aphid Lions" due to their intense and voracious feeding habit. They ferociously attack, pierce with their large sickle-like mandibles and suck their soft-bodies insects victims dry. These predators prefer aphids but can also feed on red spider mites, thrips, whiteflies, caterpillars and beetles larvae. Upon capturing its prey, the larvae injects enzyme unto the aphids body to digest its internal organs and so that it can easily feed on it. Studies reveal that a lacewing larva can attacked and feed upon 200 aphids a week up to 600-1000 aphids throughout its 4 week larval development before it pupates on the leaf surface.  These aphid lions can truly wipeout a colony of aphids. When food is scarce, the larvae resort to cannibalism and attack each other. (A truly intense insect predator).  

These delicately looking insects are NON HARMFUL to humans and are actually BENEFICIAL ORGANISMS.

  

Due to their voracious insect feeding habits, Green Lacewings are considered as important insect natural enemies and are utilized as BIOLOGICAL CONTROL agents in various agricultural crops. 

We should encourage the increase of their numbers in the wild, in farms and gardens. DO NOT SPRAY and DO NOT KILL these beautiful and beneficial insects!  

The pale green color, the lacy wings and its soft, delicate flight from tree branch to grasses makes the green lacewing an awesome insect to watch in the wadi environment. 

Awesome Creature! AWESOME CREATOR!

Thanks for your support and careful attention. 

If you need Pest Management Training, Technical Field Support, On-Line and On-Site Consultancy, please feel free to send me an email: odelon.reyes@gmail.com