The role of nectar feeding for predatory green lacewing larvae is poorly understood. First instar larvae of Chrysoperla carnea were observed foraging freely in the field for 4-h periods. 28 of 138 larvae fed on extrafloral nectar, with the incidence of nectar feeding increasing in areas of low prey availability. In the laboratory, mean longevity increased from 1.0 ± 0.0 day in a water-only treatment to 3.3 ± 1.3 days in a leaf extrafloral nectar treatment and 5.2 ± 1.9 days in a fruit extrafloral nectar treatment. In the field, nectar feeding again increased mean longevity substantially (mean for water treatment = 2.4 ± 1.5 days and mean for extrafloral nectar = 12.0 ± 5.0 days). Extrafloral nectar may play a key role in the ecology of lacewings.