Bug Identifier
Brown lacewing
Community identification

Brown lacewing

Family Hemerobiidae

Order & Family
Neuroptera: Hemerobiidae
Size
6 to 12 mm in length
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Found in gardens, woodlands, and agricultural fields, often on foliage and trees.

Diet & Feeding

Both adults and larvae are predatory, primarily feeding on soft-bodied insects like aphids, mealybugs, and mites.

Behavior Patterns

Active mainly at night, they exhibit a holometabolous life cycle with egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages.

Risks & Benefits

Beneficial as a biological control agent in agriculture and gardening because they reduce pest populations; they pose no risk to humans.