Lacewing education kit

Description

About lacewings

Lacewings are widely recognised for their role in helping reduce populations of many pest insects and mites.  They are easily recognised and commonly occur in many environments including backyard gardens.  These generalist predators feed on a range of pests including aphids, whiteflies, scale insects and mealybugs as well as moth eggs and small caterpillars.

Our adult lacewings are green, with four clear wings. Adult females live for three to four weeks and lay up to 600 eggs. Each egg sits on the end of a slender stalk, which elevates it from the surrounds and decreases the chances of predation by ants. The eggs take approximately four days to hatch.

Larvae range in size from 1 mm at first emergence up to 8 mm just before they pupate. They have small spines on their backs upon which they impale the remains of prey thus providing a form of camouflage. Larvae pass through three moults over a period of 12 days before pupating inside a silken cocoon. Adults emerge after nine days and start laying eggs seven days after emergence.

The education kit

This education kit is designed to help teach children and students of all ages more about insects and especially that many insects are indeed very useful and help to regulate pest populations.  Lacewings are particularly good for this purpose because:

• They are attractive, relatively large, highly visible and easily recognisable
• The larvae feed readily on a range of foods from the garden or the supplied moth eggs
• These larvae are also very different from the adults (= holometabolous) and as such they have a true pupal stage
• Lacewings feed on many pests of backyards and gardens
• After they have completed their development the adult lacewings can be released into any garden where they can lay eggs and continue the cycle of life

Contents of the lacewing education kit

Our education kit consists of the following:

• Plastic container with clear lid and vent holes
• Tub containing lacewing eggs mixed with lucerne chaff
• Moth eggs as food for lacewing larvae
• Small feeding spoon

Instructions

• Place contents of the tub into the rearing box with coloured shredded paper (for ease of viewing the larvae).
• Secure the rearing box with rubber bands.
• Place vial of moth eggs into fridge or freezer.
• Check daily for emergence of small lacewing larvae (usually 2-10 days after arrival).
• After emergence feed with moth eggs every second day with one half measuring spoon (straw) provided. The rotating vent on the rearing box lid can be opened to allow eggs to be dropped in for feeding.
• Return moth eggs to fridge or freezer.
• If available, your lacewing larvae will also love a feed of fresh aphids from your garden.
• The larvae will grow and develop in 3-6 weeks and then disappear into the lucerne chaff as they seek shelter to pupate.
• A week or more later adults will emerge.

What to do with your adult lacewings

Adult lacewings may be released into your garden where they will lay eggs to continue their life cycle.  If you wish you may keep them alive (and laying eggs) in captivity.  For this you will need to feed them a mix of yeast and honey and offer a wetted sponge or similar for provision of water.

Other information about lacewings

Like all insects, lacewings are not able to regulate their own body temperature. The rate of development will depend on the average temperature at the time. Ideally they should be kept at 22-26°C.

Ants can prey on lacewing eggs and young larvae.  Ensure your Lacewing Education Kit is protected from attack by ants.

For more information about how these important biological control agents can help visit our page on lacewings.

For your son, daughter or grandchild a handlens would also make a great complimentary gift.