Vol. 3: Insects |
Order: Neuroptera |
Species accounts
Beaded lacewing
Spermophorella maculatissima
FAMILY
Berothidae
TAXONOMY
Spermophorella maculatissima Tillyard, 1916, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Adult females lay solitary eggs on long, silken stalks. It is thought that the first instar triungulin larvae seek out and enter a suitable termite colony, where they can remain undetected by the termites. The larvae undergo hypermetamorphic development.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not listed by the IUCN.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
OTHER COMMON NAMES
None known.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Relatively small lacewings. Short, narrow body, with wings held vertically over the abdomen. Wings have speckled black, brown, and white pattern on wing veins to aid in camouflage. Body and wing veins are covered with long setae. Newly hatched larvae are elongate with short jaws. Later instars unknown.
DISTRIBUTION
Queensland, Australia.
HABITAT
None known.
Green lacewing
Mallada albofascialis
FAMILY
Chrysopidae
TAXONOMY
Mallada albofascialis Winterton, 1995, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Arid regions, particularly in open sclerophyll forests. |
OTHER COMMON NAMES |
|
BEHAVIOR
Adults remain motionless during the day, with the antennae held out in front of the head. They sway their bodies when potential predators are near.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Adults probably are generalist feeders. The larvae of all known berothids are obligate predators on subterranean termites. Larvae presumably use an allomone to subdue their termite prey.
First and third instars are active feeders, whereas the second instar is a sedentary, resting stage.
None known.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Relatively small lacewings. The body is elongate and delicate, with broad wings that have characteristic open, “chrysopidtype” venation. The body is light to dark green in color, with red patches on the prothorax and head. The face also has a dis-
Euclimacia torquata |
|
Myrmeleon formicarius |
Megalithone tillyardi |
Spermophorella maculatissima |
Mallada albofascialis |
Grzimek’s Animal Life Encyclopedia |
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Order: Neuroptera
tinctive white area above the mouth. The larva has an elongate body and carries a trash packet within special curved hairs on its back, used for camouflage.
DISTRIBUTION
Northern Territory and coastal Queensland, Australia.
HABITAT
Forested areas.
BEHAVIOR
Nothing is known.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Adults feed on honeydew and flower nectar. The larva is an arboreal generalist predator feeding on a variety of soft-bodied arthropods, especially mealybugs (Hemiptera: Margarodidae).
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Adult females lay eggs on long silken stalks in patches of 10–15 eggs.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not listed by the IUCN.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.
Moth lacewing
Megalithone tillyardi
FAMILY
Ithonidae
TAXONOMY
Megalithone tillyardi Riek, 1974, Cunningham’s Gap, Queensland, Australia.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
None known.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
The moth lacewing is a relatively large, robust insect with an appearance similar to that of a dull hepialid moth. The wings and body are dull brown, and the body is covered with numerous long hairs. The wings are folded over the body. The larva is fossorial and scarabaeiform in body shape.
DISTRIBUTION
Southeastern Queensland and northern New South Wales, Australia.
HABITAT
Higher elevations, often on sandy soils.
BEHAVIOR
Adults emerge in masses to form large mating aggregations or swarms composed of many more males than females.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
It is not clear if adults feed, but the larvae eat root exudates of plants. Ithonids have been recorded erroneously as predators of scarab larvae.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
The female has a genital plug upon emergence, which is apparently displaced during copulation.
Vol. 3: Insects
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not listed by the IUCN. The conservation status of the moth lacewing is difficult to assess, because larvae are fossorial and adult swarms are infrequent. Habitat destruction appears to be the main threat to individual populations.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Swarms have been recorded hitting the metal roofs of houses and sounding like a hail storm. While they are rare, swarms are a nuisance to humans, because adults also enter houses and gather in dark places. Such plagues are known to last as long as three weeks.
Mantid lacewing
Euclimacia torquata
FAMILY
Mantispidae
TAXONOMY
Euclimacia torquata Navás, 1914, Queensland, Australia.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
None known.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Medium-size lacewings. The body is robust, with relatively narrow wings that are darkly pigmented along the anterior portion. This species has strongly contrasting black, yellow, and orange coloration, enabling it to be an effective wasp mimic. The front legs are raptorial. The immature stages are unknown.
DISTRIBUTION
Queensland, Australia, and Papua New Guinea.
HABITAT
Forested areas.
BEHAVIOR
Adults fly and walk in a way similar to paper wasps, as a defense against predators.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Adults are generalist predators, using their raptorial forelegs to capture prey. Based on evidence from other mantid lacewings, the larva is presumably a specialized predator of spider egg sacs and probably also is highly host specific.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Nothing is known.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not listed by the IUCN.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.
Antlion
Myrmeleon formicarius
FAMILY
Myrmeleontidae
TAXONOMY
Myrmeleon formicarius Linnaeus, 1767, Europe.
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Vol. 3: Insects
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Doodlebug.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Large, very long lacewing. The head and thorax are short and stout, and the abdomen is very elongate. Body is brown with tan markings; antennae are thickened apically. Wings very elongate, narrow, and hyaline. Venation is mottled brown, black, and white. Larvae are robust and ovoid-shaped with large curved jaws. Body is adapted for burrowing backward through sandy soil.
DISTRIBUTION
Western Europe.
HABITAT
A wide variety of habitats, especially sandy desert or savanna regions.
BEHAVIOR
Adults are active at night and sit on foliage during the day. The elongated body and brown coloration of the adult serve as crypsis as they lie flat against a twig or branch. Larvae quickly burrow deep into the sand to avoid predation when the pit is disturbed by anything larger than a small prey item.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Adults are generalist predators, capturing prey on the wing. Larvae construct conical pits in fine, sandy soil by flicking sand out of the pit with rapid upward movements of the head. The larva waits at the bottom of the pit with only its large jaws exposed. When a suitable prey falls into the pit, the larva quickly seizes the prey by impaling it and injects paralyzing venom before dragging it below the sand surface.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
The adult female lays egg in sandy soil. Larvae burrow through the soil and form conical pits, typically under overhangs or in caves, to avoid precipitation that may disturb the pit and drown the larva. When development is complete, the larva spins a spherical cocoon from silk produced from the anus, which is impregnated with sand particles.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Antlion larvae, or “doodlebugs,” have long been established in human folklore, particularly in children’s chants or charms, typically from countries around the world that have been influenced by Europeans. Many charms referring to doodlebugs specifically cite the conical pits formed by the larva or their peculiar reverse-burrowing behavior.
Spoonwing lacewing
Nemoptera sinuata
FAMILY
Nemopteridae
TAXONOMY
Nemoptera sinuata Olivier, 1811, eastern Mediterranean.
Order: Neuroptera
Nemoptera sinuata
Norfolius howensis
OTHER COMMON NAMES
None known.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Large to medium-size lacewings. The body is elongate and robust, with relatively broad, rounded forewings. The hind wings are highly modified, narrow, and petiolate basally and slightly dilated apically, so that the wing is somewhat spoon-shaped. Wings are strikingly marked with irregular yellow and black banding. The forewings are held above the body, while the hind wings project posteriorly. The larvae are broad and oval shaped, with short necks and short jaws.
DISTRIBUTION
Europe and the Mediterranean region.
HABITAT
Open grasslands and forests.
BEHAVIOR
Adults are active during the day, feeding at flowers.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Adults feed at flowers on pollen and nectar. Larvae lie buried in the sand, remaining inactive for long periods of time. When prey movement is detected, larvae approach slowly and attack with a single impaling of the prey with their jaws, during which time it is presumed that paralyzing venom is injected. Larvae are occasionally cannibalistic.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Females lay eggs in sand. Larval development is prolonged and probably univoltine in nature. Adults are active in late spring.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not listed by the IUCN.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.
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