Debris-Carrying Lacewing Larva (often called 'Junk Bug' or 'Trash Bug')
Scientific Name: Family Chrysopidae (Larval stage)
Order & Family: Order: Neuroptera, Family: Chrysopidae (Green Lacewings)
Size: Typically small, ranging from 1/4 to 1/3 inch (6-10 mm) in length, though their 'trash packet' may make them appear larger.
Natural Habitat
Found on plant foliage, trees, and shrubs where their prey (aphids) are abundant. They are occasionally found indoors or on outdoor furniture.
Diet & Feeding
Carnivorous predators. They feed primarily on aphids, mites, thrips, mealybugs, whiteflies, and insect eggs, piercing them with specialized hollow jaws.
Behavior Patterns
The larva covers its back with a camouflage packet made of dead insect bodies (mostly from its prey), lichen, and other debris. This behavior protects it from predators like birds and ants by making it resemble a piece of fuzz or debris.
Risks & Benefits
Generally beneficial. They pose no risk to humans or property. In fact, they are highly valued in gardens and agriculture as biological pest control agents because they voraciously consume aphids and other plant-damaging insects.
Identified on: 2/25/2026