Lacewings in the genus Chrysoperla, such as the unidentified Chrysoperla individual shown here, are natural predators of aphids, mites, and other soft-bodied plant-eaters and thus can serve as useful biological control agents in agricultural settings. New research has found that a species previously known to Africa and Asia, Chrysoperla zastrowi, has naturalized in the Americas. Its apparent establishment in arid regions of the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Guatemala suggests it is climatically suited to the area and could be a prime candidate for biocontrol applications, researchers say. (Photo by Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org)