The graceful lacewings are the fairies among insects. The pretty little creatures feed primarily on honeydew and flower nectar. Lacewing larvae, on the other hand, are big predators, because a single larva eats between 200 and 500 aphids and other plant pests before they pupate.

Lacewing larvae like to eat aphids

Table of Contents

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  1. the essentials in brief
  2. Lacewing larvae against aphids
  3. attract lacewings
  4. frequently asked Questions

    5. the essentials in brief

    • Lacewing larvae prefer to feed on aphids
    • Lacewing larvae can be used both in the garden and indoors for pest control
    • A natural garden with many flowering plants attracts lacewings; They especially like catnip

    Use lacewing larvae against aphids

    Aphids are one of the biggest annoyances of every gardener, as they quickly develop into a gigantic plague due to their asexual reproduction method: Colonies of thousands of animals suck the sap from roses and other garden plants and thus damage the plants considerably.

    Prevention is the magic word here, so that such problematic populations cannot develop in the first place. A natural garden creates the best conditions for aphid-eating beneficial insects to settle there. The larvae of the lacewing (Chrysoperla carnea), which prefer to eat aphids until they pupate, are particularly voracious in this regard. For this reason, the lacewing is also known as the "aphid lion". Another name for the slender insects with the transparent, shimmering green net wings and gold-colored eyes is "Goldeye".

    Lacewings - contrary to what their name suggests, lacewings do not belong to the flies - lay their eggs attached to long stalks directly on the leaves of garden plants from May. As a rule, the females immediately look for a place in the immediate vicinity of an aphid colony so that the larvae do not have to starve. The elongated, brownish colored larvae have six legs and are quite agile. However, they do not eat the aphids entirely, but grab them with their pincer-shaped jaws and suck them out. Only the empty quinine shells remain.

    Lacewing larvae feed on aphids

    application

    If you have an aphid problem in the garden or greenhouse, you can buy the aphid lions to combat them in specialist shops and apply them directly to the infested plants. The larvae are available in two varieties:

    • loose goods: These are the eggs of the lacewing or the tiny larvae in the first larval stage. Gently rotate the can (do not shake!) to mix the contents well. Now scatter the eggs and larvae directly onto the plant leaves. Leave the container at the base of the plant for a few more days to allow stragglers to make their way
    • cardboard honeycomb: Second-instar larvae are packed in cardboard combs, with each larva having its own comb. This is necessary so that the little animals, which tend to cannibalism, do not eat each other.

    Use cardboard honeycomb as follows:

    1. Open the package and take out the cardboard honeycomb.
    2. Holding the honeycomb horizontally, carefully peel off the gauze taped over the opening.
    3. Have a slightly damp paper towel ready.
    4. Gently tap the larvae in the honeycomb on kitchen paper.
    5. Now place the cloth on the infested plant or hang it inside.
    6. Now the larvae can overflow and go in search of food.
    7. Leave the cardboard honeycomb under the plant for a few more days so that latecomers can still overflow.

    You should also make sure that there are no ants on the plants. The aphids like to keep these as “pets” and actually protect the pests. To ensure that the ants do not carry off the lacewing larvae and eat them, you should water your plants vigorously before spreading. Be patient after application: it takes about a week to ten days to see results.

    The advantage of lacewing larvae compared to other beneficial insects lies not only in their large appetite, but also in their high level of activity even at temperatures from 12 °C. If necessary, repeat the application after 14 days.

    tips

    You should put out about 150 larvae per ten square meters of area. Be careful not to expose too many larvae. These then eat each other and leave the aphids on the left.

    Use lacewing larvae in the apartment

    Lacewings can also be used indoors for pest control

    The lacewing larvae are also very suitable for use indoors, for example on houseplants plagued by aphids or other pests or in the greenhouse. The application is the same as described above, but the pupated, adult lacewings must finally be released outside. They could not survive in the apartment or in the greenhouse, since they usually cannot find any suitable food there or they can also get too warm. In any case, the adult animals often find their way outside on their own. So here you have to buy new larvae and release them with every infestation.

    background

    Lacewing larvae have a wide range of prey

    Although aphids are the absolute favorite food of lacewing larvae, the little animals also eat other pests such as spider mites, thrips, scale insects and mealybugs or their eggs. A single larva can suck out up to 12,000 spider mite eggs and thus significantly reduces the risk of infestation.

    Attract lacewings - this is how you get the beneficial insects into your garden

    So that you don't have to constantly buy new lacewings, you should make it easier for them to settle in your garden. For this purpose, the garden should be managed as naturally as possible and contain many flowering plants. Incidentally, catnip is said to be particularly attractive to lacewings, as the scent of this pretty violet flowering plant is very similar to the sex attractant of lacewings. Purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) and other flowering plants that bloom in late summer and are rich in nectar are also suitable. These include:

    • Nasturtium
    • marigolds
    • tagetes
    • borage
    • zinnias
    • sedum
    • summer heath
    • sun bride
    • sunflower
    • astilbes
    • phlox

    Incidentally, the plants mentioned not only attract lacewings, but also other useful insects such as bees and bumblebees. Be sure to only plant single-flowered varieties, however, as double flower heads are worthless to insects. These look pretty, but produce little or no nectar.

    In winter, lacewings need a suitable place to hibernate. The little animals like to nest in cool rooms such as the garage or a garden shed. So-called lacewing boxes are also gladly accepted. You can buy a lacewing box in a specialist shop or you can easily build one yourself. How this works is explained in this article in a way that is both clear and entertaining:

    youtube

    The red color is not due to the prettier appearance, but because red is very attractive to lacewings. By painting, you increase the chance that the beneficial insects will settle in this box. By the way: Contrary to what is claimed in the video, the insects do not use the box for nesting (after all, they lay their eggs directly on the plants). Instead, they hibernate in it and then start right on the spot the following year. So aphids and co. don't stand a chance right from the start!

    Steer clear of pesticides

    "Pest control works better with beneficial insects like lacewing larvae than with toxic chemicals."

    If you want to successfully control the pests with lacewings and other beneficial insects, you absolutely have to do without any pesticides. Insecticides and fungicides not only kill the unwanted pests, but also put an end to beneficial insects. The same applies to oil-based agents, for example based on neem or rapeseed oil. Both are often used in organic gardening, but often have the same effect on beneficial insects as on pests. Do not apply such agents for at least six weeks before you plan to use beneficial larvae, otherwise you will kill the animals and they will then of course no longer be able to do their job.

    digression

    Which other beneficial insects can be used against aphids?

    Other beneficial insects can also be used very well against aphids. Ladybirds and their larvae, for example, have a big appetite because they eat between 400 and 800 aphids per animal within their 20-day life span. After the hibernation, ladybugs are particularly hungry and therefore start tidying up the garden in the spring. In addition, parasitic wasps (22.99€), hoverflies and assassin bugs are also suitable for natural pest control. You can deploy the beneficial insects together with the lacewing larvae, but you should then make sure that the various little animals do not get in each other's way.

    frequently asked Questions

    Do lacewing larvae also bite humans?

    In fact, lacewing larvae can bite hard with their pincers, so it's best not to pick up or otherwise touch the little creatures. Your bite can be very painful and also shows symptoms similar to those after a mosquito or wasp sting: the bite site reddens, may swell and itches. However, such a bite is not dangerous.

    Can I still apply lacewing larvae in autumn?

    In principle, lacewing larvae can still be released in autumn due to their short life cycle, provided that the temperatures are constantly (even at night!) above 12 °C. If it is too cool, the little animals slow down their metabolism and no longer eat as much. It would therefore make more sense to winterize the garden or greenhouse and dispose of the parts of the plant infested with aphids in the household waste. This will keep the plague at bay the following year. In the warm room, on the other hand, you can use the little animals at any time, but the adult animals will then die. They do not hibernate in warm rooms and it is often too cold outside from October.

    How long do lacewing larvae live?

    Lacewings have a very short life: the larval period runs in three phases (the animals only eat aphids and other pests from the second phase onwards!) and lasts about 18 days. The animals then pupate and live for another two to three weeks. Two to three generations of lacewings are raised each season.

    tips

    If you have children, you can buy and release lacewing eggs together with these. The little ones then see up close how larvae hatch and develop into lacewings. True-to-life biology lessons at home!

Category:

Animals in the garden