Description:

This is a beneficial insect with a striking appearance, and a curious habit. They eat any creature (head first and alive) it can catch, including most insects and even mice, small lizards, and frogs. Its triangular head, containing sharp mouthparts, can swivel 180 degrees. The body is elongate, with front legs modified into prominent grasping organs that catch and hold prey. The strike comes in less that fifty thousandths of a second. One generation develops per year. The female lays eggs in the autumn in a mass, in a frothy, gummy matter glued to tree twigs or plant stems. The egg stage overwinters in this case. Nymphs emerge in the spring or early summer. After a male mates with the much larger female, she often repays his efforts by biting off his head and eating him.

Control:

No control is necessary for this beneficial insect.