Mantis Lacewing vs Giant Lacewing
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Mantis Lacewing | Giant Lacewing |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Mantispa perla | Polystoechotes punctata |
| Order | Neuroptera | Neuroptera |
| Family | Mantispidae | Ithonidae |
| Size | 15-20mm | 40-75 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Heathland | Rivers & Streams |
| Diet | Predators | Omnivores |
| Regions | Europe | North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Endangered |
Mantis Lacewing
A delicate insect with mantis-like raptorial forelegs and lace-like wings. An ambush predator of small insects.
Did You Know?
Larvae enter spider egg sacs and consume all the eggs, emerging as adults from the silk cocoon.
Giant Lacewing
Once widespread across North America, it vanished from the eastern US by the 1950s. A single specimen was rediscovered in Walmart parking lot in Arkansas in 2012 after 50 years.
Did You Know?
This giant lacewing was thought extinct in eastern North America for 50 years — until a single specimen was collected at a Walmart parking lot in Fayetteville, Arkansas in 2012.