Junk bug (Green Lacewing Larva)

Natural Habitat

Gardens, agricultural fields, and wooded areas worldwide; often found on plants with high aphid populations.

Diet & Feeding

Voracious predators that primarily eat aphids, but also consume mites, scale insects, thrips, and caterpillar eggs.

Behavior Patterns

Larvae are known as 'junk bugs' because they camouflaging themselves by attaching the carcasses of their prey and other debris (like moss or lichen) to hooked hairs on their backs to hide from predators.

Risks & Benefits

Highly beneficial to the ecosystem and agriculture as a natural form of pest control. They are harmless to humans, though they may occasionally deliver a minor, non-venomous pinch if handled.

Identified on: 1/10/2026