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  • What is this tiny chomping critter?

    Question

    This lil thing decided to announce it's presence by chomping down on my leg... What the heck is it? It's on my pinky finger and that's my wedding ring adjacent to it, to provide some size reference.

    Naturalist's Response

    That’s a lacewing larva on your hand. They are beneficial predators. One time at Frohring Meadows, I saw one that was chowing down on an aphid that was on a milkweed plant. I don’t know why the one in your picture chomped down on you. Maybe it was seeing if you were something edible? Anyway, thanks for sharing the picture. You can find more info on lacewings at this link.

    -Naturalist Linda Gilbert