Debris-carrying Lacewing Larva (commonly known as a Junk Bug or Trash Bug)
Scientific Name: Chrysopidae (Family)
Order & Family: Neuroptera; Chrysopidae
Size: Typically small, usually 0.2 to 0.5 inches (5-12 mm) in length, excluding the debris pile.
Natural Habitat
Found worldwide in gardens, agricultural fields, forests, and sometimes indoors on houseplants; often located on leaves or stems where potential prey gathers.
Diet & Feeding
Carnivorous predator; feeds voraciously on aphids, mites, thrips, mealybugs, whiteflies, and insect eggs.
Behavior Patterns
These larvae construct a camouflage shield on their backs using the empty exoskeletons of their prey, bits of lichen, moss, and other natural debris to avoid detection by predators like birds and ants. They are active hunters.
Risks & Benefits
Benefits: highly beneficial for gardeners and agriculture as natural pest control agents due to their large appetite for aphids. Risks: harmless to humans, though they can deliver a mild nip if handled roughly, which is generally not medically significant.
Identified on: 2/11/2026