Junk bug (Green lacewing larva)

Found in gardens, forests, and agricultural fields worldwide, often on leaves and stems of plants.

Carnivorous; they primarily eat aphids, mealybugs, scale insects, and other soft-bodied pests.

Larvae of certain species use curved mandibles to pierce prey. They are known as 'junk bugs' because they camouflage themselves by attaching debris, lichen, or the hollowed-out husks of their prey to their backs using hooked bristles.

Highly beneficial to the ecosystem as natural pest control. Occasionally, they may nip humans if handled, which can cause a minor, temporary skin irritation, but they are not dangerous.