Lacewing
The green lacewing is the most common lacewing seen by gardeners. It is a highly beneficial insect and should not be confused with the lacebug that sucks the sap from azaleas.

Adult lacewings are attracted to lights and white surfaces. You may have seen its distinctive egg clusters, with each ting white egg hanging from a single filamentous thread. Its lays its eggs in this way to ensure they are out of reach of predators. Most species of lacewings and their larvae are carnivorous, feeding on other insects including scale, aphids, spiders and wasps. Some species of lacewings are mass reared for use as commercial biological control agents in orchards and organic gardens.

Scorpion
If you have logs or wood-based mulch in the garden you might be lucky enough to come across one of these amazing scorpions. They are beneficial insects that feed on spiders, beetles and cockroaches and are an indication of a healthy soil ecosystem. They are nocturnal hunters with poor eyesight, but an excellent ability to detect vibration.

Scorpions are not insects, but arachnids just like spiders. Count their legs and you will see that they possess eight legs like spiders rather than six like an insect. The scorpions sting is in its tail. If provoked it can give a painful bite but is not considered dangerous. Never-the-less, it is probably a good reason to wear gloves when working in the garden.

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