Brown Lacewing

Brown Lacewings belong to the family Hemerobiidae, a group closely related to the more familiar green lacewings but generally smaller, drabber in color, and less commonly noticed. The genus Hemerobius is among the most widespread and species-rich in the family, occurring across North America, Europe, Asia, and beyond in a range of wooded and shrubby habitats.

Adults have mottled brown to tan wings held roof-like over a slender brown body, giving them excellent camouflage against bark and dry vegetation, and their smaller size and duller coloring often cause them to be overlooked in favor of the more conspicuous green lacewings. Like their green relatives, however, both larvae and, in many species, adults are active predators of small, soft-bodied insects.

Brown Lacewings are particularly associated with trees, shrubs, and conifers, where their larvae hunt aphids, scale insects, mites, and other small pests, making them valuable natural predators in forests, orchards, and gardens. Their contribution to biological pest control is often underappreciated compared to green lacewings, despite their similar ecological role.

• Small, slender-bodied lacewing with mottled brown, tan, or grayish wings held roof-like over the body at rest
• Wings typically have a fine, lacy vein pattern similar to green lacewings but in duller tones
• Body brown to grayish-brown rather than green
• Eyes darker and less strikingly colored than the golden eyes of many green lacewings
• Smaller overall size compared to most green lacewing species
• Lookalikes: Green Lacewings are larger and green with golden eyes; small brown moths or other neuropterans can superficially resemble Brown Lacewings but lack the same fine wing venation

Brown Lacewings are found in forests, hedgerows, orchards, gardens, and shrubby or wooded habitats, with many species showing a particular association with conifers and deciduous trees where aphids and other small prey are abundant. They occur widely across North America and much of the Northern Hemisphere, active mainly from spring through fall, with some species remaining active into cooler months compared to green lacewings.

Both larvae and, in many species, adult Brown Lacewings are predators, feeding on aphids, mites, small scale insects, and other tiny soft-bodied prey found on leaves, bark, and needles. Larvae have an elongated, tapered shape with prominent mandibles used to capture and feed on prey, similar in general form to green lacewing larvae. Adults are typically less conspicuous than green lacewings, often resting camouflaged against tree bark or dry foliage during the day and becoming more active at dusk and night. Their predatory habits make them important, if often overlooked, contributors to natural pest control in forest, orchard, and garden ecosystems.

Brown Lacewings undergo complete metamorphosis, passing through egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages. Unlike many green lacewings, Brown Lacewing eggs are typically laid directly on leaves or bark rather than on stalks. Larvae hatch and immediately begin hunting small prey such as aphids, developing through several instars over the course of a few weeks while feeding actively. When fully grown, the larva spins a small silken cocoon, often tucked into bark crevices or leaf litter, within which it pupates before emerging as a winged adult. Depending on climate, Brown Lacewings can produce multiple generations per year, with some species overwintering as larvae, pupae, or adults in sheltered locations such as bark crevices or leaf litter.