Description
Brown lacewing adults are pale brown with oval shaped wings covered in small hairs just over ½ inch in length. Lacewing larvae are brown and elongated and resemble tiny alligators. Both adults and larvae have strong mandibles for attacking their prey. Eggs are pale brown and laid at the base of plants. Lacewings are found throughout the world.
Target Pests
The brown lacewing is a generalist predator that eats almost all greenhouse pests. This includes aphids (including foxglove aphids), thrips, whitefly, mealybugs, scale, leafhoppers, the eggs and caterpillars of pest moths and more.
Life Cycle
The female lacewing lays her eggs in the lower leaves. Each female lays around 100-150 eggs during their lifetime. Optimal conditions are between 59°-79°F with a relative humidity greater than 30%, but they are active within a very wide temperature range (39°-88°F). and can complete their lifecycle at 39°F and above.
Use in Biological Control
Unlike the green lacewing, the brown lacewing is predatory as an adult as well as in the larval form. They are active at night and are aggressive predators of most greenhouse pests. Brown lacewings can tolerate cool temperatures and establish themselves in a greenhouse, making them excellent predators for cool season aphid control. The larvae can consume from 5 to 80 aphids each day. Since adults can fly, they are very effective at locating aphids and other pests throughout the greenhouse.
Instructions for Use
Release as soon as possible upon receipt. If release is delayed due to weather, the eggs can be stored at no lower than 50°F for up to 48 hours. To minimize egg mortality, humidity should be approximately 75%. Warmer temperatures will speed up larval emergence, but the eggs should not be held at more than 80°F.
When targeting caterpillars, lacewings are very effective when used with Trichogramma parasitic wasps. Since Trichogramma attack only the egg stage, the lacewing offers a second line of defense as it feeds on eggs and young caterpillars.
Rates. Preventative 0.1/100ft2 - High 10/100ft2 as needed.
