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- This page contains pictures and information about Lacewings, Antlions and Owl Flies
that
we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
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- Lacewings, Antlions and Owl Flies are insects belonged to the Order Neuroptera. Insects in this order
have two pairs of transparent wings of about the same size. Although they are
not very good flier, their wings are large and membranous, with complex vein
pattern. Their bodies are long and soft. They have the biting and chewing
mouthparts. They are the predators of other insects. Their size is from very
small as 5mm to wings spans as large as 150mm.
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- Because of they have two pair of lace wings, when they are flying, they may
be mistaken as dragonflies.
However, their wings fold on their back as a tent-like shape when rest which
dragonflies never do. Also they are easily distinguished by their pair of long
antenna which all dragonflies have very short antenna.
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- During summer time, they are sometimes attracted to the houses by window
lights.
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- Lacewings develop in complete
metamorphosis, with egg, larvae, pupa and adult states. Most of them lay
eggs on leafs or stalks, eggs are either in rows or in 'U' shaped arrangement.
Some species their larvae are active predators while some are in parasites
forms.
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- The famous Antlions are in this order.
Antlion is the common name given to the larvae of those insects. The larvae build sand traps
to trap the ants walk by.
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- Above picture shows the struggling ant in a sand trap.
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 - The stalked eggs
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- The above pictures show two typical types of Lacewings eggs. Notice that the
eggs are laid on thin sticks. Lacewing larvae are active predators. Eggs laid on
thin sticks is believed that it helps to prevent cannibalism.
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- Body length 5mm
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- We found the above Lacewings Larvae hunting the aphids in our
backyard in spring. The next picture shows the Lacewing eggs that we found near
by.
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- Although the Lacewings order is not a large order, we can easily find
different of species and families in Brisbane. We have listed what we found as
below.
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 Family
Osmylidae - Osmylid Lacewings- The Lacewings have the steel blue coloured wings with white patterns. The
abdomen is brown covered by its wings. Their head is orange in colour,
antenna in filiform. Their larvae are long and slender, with elongated
spear-like jaws, hunt under bark. Their eggs are not stalked. We found only
one species in this family.
 Family Mantispidae - Mantid Lacewings- The Mantid Lacewings are sometimes known as Mantis Flies. Their
forelegs, head and thorax look like Mantid. They have the typical clear
membranous wings. They can be found easily in bush. Sometime the attached to
house by window lights. They are active predators, chasing prey with
their spiny forelegs.
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 Family Hemerobiidae - Brown Lacewings
Most species in this family are pale brown in colour and small in size. Antenna usually same length as forewings.
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 Family Chrysopidae - Green Lacewings- Those Green Lacewings are common in gardens and bush-lands. Their bodies are
long and green in colour. Adults have a slow, fluttering flight. They usually
feed on nectar. When rest, they like to hide under the bottom side of the leaf.
The Green Lacewings lay their eggs in group on leafs. They are commonly seen
in garden plants.
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 Family Nymphidae- They have two pair of transparent wings of about equal size. When flying,
may mistaken they are dragonflies. But their wings are fold in tent shape
whish is different from dragonflies and damselflies. They can also
distinguished by their long antenna.
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 Family Myrmeleontidae - Antlions- Antlions is the common name given to the larvae of those insects.
The adults have shout antenna. The larvae build sand traps
to trap the ants walk by. The Antlions sit at the middle of the trap and
covered by sands. When an ant walk inside the trap, it flicks more sands to
the ant and cause the 'land sliding'. The ant then fall and the Antlions
attack the ant by its long jaws.
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 Family Ascalaphidae - Owl-flies- The Owlfly has the long and clubbed antenna, otherwise it looks like a dragonfly.
Adults in this family are from medium to large size. When rest, their abdomen
is extended above the stem that they are sitting on while their wings hanging
downwards. Adults are predator, hunting insects in flight. Usually they
are active during the day.
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- Reference and Link:
- 1. Insects
of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University
Press, 2nd Edition 1991, pp 525.
- 2. Lacewings
- by Charlma Phillips, Forest Health Scientist, Forest Insects, ForestrySA.
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[ Home ] [ Family Osmylidae ] [ Family Mantispidae ] [ Family Hemerobiidae - Brown Lacewings ] [ Family Chrysopidae ] [ Family Nymphidae ] [ Family Myrmeleontidae ] [ Family Ascalaphidae ]
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