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Lacewings & Antlions

Order Neuroptera

112 species

Delicate insects with large, veined wings. Lacewing larvae are voracious predators of aphids, while antlion larvae build conical sand traps.

Species in this Order

Sisyridae

Terminalis Spongillafly

Sisyra terminalis

A Palearctic spongillafly with dark wing tips found near clean freshwater systems. Indicator of good...

7-10 mm wingspan
Nemopteridae

Thread-winged Antlion Lacewing

Croce filipennis

A bizarre nemopterid with extremely long, thread-like hindwings. Males have hindwings that can be se...

15-20 mm forewing; hindwings up to 80 mm
Nemopteridae

Thread-Winged Lacewing

Nemoptera sinuata

An unmistakable insect with elongated, ribbon-like hindwings that trail behind in flight. Found in d...

25-30 mm body; 40 mm hindwing streamers
Chrysopidae

Trash-carrying Lacewing

Chrysopa nigricornis

A North American green lacewing with dark antennae. Its larvae camouflage themselves by piling debri...

16-24 mm wingspan
Coniopterygidae

Tropical Dustywing

Heteroconis picticornis

A tropical dustywing with banded antennae found in Asian and African lowland habitats. One of the la...

4-6 mm wingspan
Chrysopidae

Tropical Green Lacewing

Chrysoperla rufilabris

A widely distributed green lacewing used commercially for biological pest control in greenhouses. La...

12-18 mm
Mantispidae

Tropical Mantidfly

Entanoneura gratiosa

A striking tropical mantidfly with patterned wings found in Asian rainforests. Its ornate wing marki...

20-30 mm wingspan
Ascalaphidae

Turkish Owlfly

Libelloides rhomboideus

A striking owlfly with rhombus-shaped wing markings found in Anatolia and the eastern Mediterranean....

42-52 mm wingspan
Ithonidae Vulnerable

Wartclub Lacewing

Ithone fulva

A rare moth-like lacewing from southeastern Australia. Adults are short-lived and larvae burrow unde...

3-4 cm wingspan
Hemerobiidae

Wesmael's Brown Lacewing

Wesmaelius subnebulosus

A medium-sized brown lacewing with subtly patterned wings found across Europe. Frequent in gardens a...

10-16 mm wingspan
Mantispidae

Yellow Mantidfly

Leptomantispa pulchella

A delicate yellow mantidfly found in tropical Central and South America. Its slender build and pale ...

14-20 mm wingspan
Ascalaphidae

Yellow Owlfly

Libelloides longicornis

A beautiful owlfly with long clubbed antennae and bright yellow-and-black wings. It perches on grass...

20-25 mm body, 45-55 mm wingspan