African Mantidfly vs Nervous Brown Lacewing

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute African Mantidfly Nervous Brown Lacewing
Scientific Name Sagittalata olivacea Micromus variegatus
Order Neuroptera Neuroptera
Family Mantispidae Hemerobiidae
Size 18-26 mm wingspan 6-10 mm wingspan
Habitat Woodlands Tundra & Arctic
Diet Parasitoids Predators
Regions Southern Africa, East Africa Europe, Asia, North Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

African Mantidfly

A greenish African mantidfly found in woodland and bushveld habitats. Like all mantidflies, it has distinctive raptorial front legs.

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Did You Know?

Larvae ride on female spiders phoretically, waiting for them to lay eggs before entering the egg sac.

Nervous Brown Lacewing

A tiny mottled brown lacewing found across the Palearctic region. Despite its small size, it is an effective predator of aphid colonies.

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Did You Know?

Its small size allows it to hunt in tight plant crevices that larger predators cannot reach.