Junk bug (Green lacewing larva)

Gardens, agricultural fields, and wooded areas worldwide; often found on leaves or stems.

Carnivorous; feeds primarily on aphids, mites, scale insects, and other small soft-bodied insects.

Called 'junk bugs' because they use curved bristles on their backs to carry debris, such as dust, lichen, or the hollowed-out carcasses of their prey, as camouflage against predators like birds.

Highly beneficial to ecosystems and gardeners as natural pest control. Occasionally, they may nip or bite humans if they crawl on skin, which can cause a minor, temporary itch but is not medically significant.