A Green Lacewing
Date First Recorded in the Garden: 23/07/2023
Family Chrysopidae: Green Lacewings
A large family of lacewings, the Chrysopidae consist of 1,300 – 2,00 species around the world. Considerably less than 100 species of all Lacewings are recorded in the UK.
A Green Lacewing – Chrysoperla carnea
This is the most common of the British Green Lacewings, although it turns brown later in the year. It also hibernates which no other species of green lacewing does. It has some notable characteristics, such as it’s pale stripe along its back, see image below.
It also lacks black spots on its head which some other similar species has. Likewise the cross-veins on the wing are not dark and importantly if you look closely you will note the veins are hairy, see image below.
In the Garden
Another aphid eater, we find these often resting/sheltering/hiding on the underside of hazel leaves. Occasionally they will turn up in a moth trap also.
Wildlife Garden 