Illustration of lacewing
: any of various neuropterous insects (such as genera Chrysopa and Hemerobius) having delicate lacelike wing venation, long antennae, and often brilliant eyes
called also lacewing fly
Examples of lacewing in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ladybugs, lacewings and other predatory insects can be released or encouraged to come in on their own.
—
oregonlive, 9 Sep. 2023
Some pesticides can harm minute pirate bugs, lacewings and predatory mites or spiders, which are some of the very beneficials that help us in our fight against this and other pests.
—Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Aug. 2023
Introduction On warm summer nights, green lacewings flutter around bright lanterns in backyards and at campsites.
—Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 26 July 2023
Mary Alice and Terry encourage the presence of natural predators such as ladybugs and lacewings, whose larvae gobble up troublemakers like spider mites and aphids.
—Rhonda Fleming Hayes, Southern Living, 16 June 2023
The giant lacewing, or Polystoechotes punctata, is a large insect from the Jurassic Era.
—Emily Schmall, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2023
Skvarla and his colleagues eventually confirmed that the specimen was indeed a giant lacewing — which mysteriously disappeared from eastern North America in the 1950s.
—Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2023
Soon, the natural enemies — which include the lacewings, lady beetles, adult wasps, insect larvae, earwigs and birds — will arrive to assist us in aphid management.
—Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 May 2023
Lady beetles and lacewings have shown an appetite for feeding on the scale and displayed some efficacy in attacking it, Chen said, but not yet in a way that can halt its spread.
—Joe Heim, Washington Post, 21 Apr. 2023
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oregonlive, 9 Sep. 2023
Some pesticides can harm minute pirate bugs, lacewings and predatory mites or spiders, which are some of the very beneficials that help us in our fight against this and other pests.
—Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Aug. 2023
Introduction On warm summer nights, green lacewings flutter around bright lanterns in backyards and at campsites.
—Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 26 July 2023
Mary Alice and Terry encourage the presence of natural predators such as ladybugs and lacewings, whose larvae gobble up troublemakers like spider mites and aphids.
—Rhonda Fleming Hayes, Southern Living, 16 June 2023
The giant lacewing, or Polystoechotes punctata, is a large insect from the Jurassic Era.
—Emily Schmall, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2023
Skvarla and his colleagues eventually confirmed that the specimen was indeed a giant lacewing — which mysteriously disappeared from eastern North America in the 1950s.
—Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2023
Soon, the natural enemies — which include the lacewings, lady beetles, adult wasps, insect larvae, earwigs and birds — will arrive to assist us in aphid management.
—Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 May 2023
Lady beetles and lacewings have shown an appetite for feeding on the scale and displayed some efficacy in attacking it, Chen said, but not yet in a way that can halt its spread.
—Joe Heim, Washington Post, 21 Apr. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lacewing.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1912, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near lacewing
Cite this Entry
“Lacewing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lacewing. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
lacewing
noun
lace·wing
ˈlā-ˌswiŋ 
: any of various insects that have delicate lacelike wings, long antennae, and often bright eyes
More from Merriam-Webster on lacewing
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lacewing
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