I just scored me a giant lacewing!

[Horrido]

Curious who else has seen these beauties. They're almost regarded as the Loch Ness monster of the entomological world. We know extremely little about their imature stages or development, to the point we're hoping tracking devices can be micronized small enough to follow gravid females. To our knowledge, they have never been successfully reared. Only four species in three genera, with two species in the US. Let me know if anyone out there has some experiences of their own!

Order: Neuroptera
Family: Polystoechotidae
Genus: Polystoechotes
Species: P. punctata

Image here:

http://www.entomology.umn.edu/museu...ages/Neuroptera web jpeg/Polystoechotidae.jpg

 

[Navaros]

Very cool Horrido. I love lacewings. I can't recall ever seeing any besides the green species however. Good luck finding more of them.

 

[Horrido]

I'm surprised you haven't seen the brown lacewings, Hemerobiidae.

I collected my "one" a few years back. They readily come to lights and enter houses. I enjoy seeing them mid-August through mid-September, as being the swan song of summer. This area is actually a hotbed for them, as they seem to prefer areas with dying deciduous trees and water.

 

[Navaros]

Do they occur in NJ? We have the green lacewings all over the place.

 

[Malhavoc's]

In florida I saw something that looked liek that cept it had long 'jaw' apendegas that give it a look like it oculd take off my finger.. needless to say I let it be..lol

 

[Navaros]

It was probably a dobson fly.

 

[Malhavoc's]

Either way.. It was wierd.. lol

 

[Horrido]

Do they occur in NJ? We have the green lacewings all over the place.

Supposedly throughout the US, at least I haven't seen anything stating the contrary.

In florida I saw something that looked liek that cept it had long 'jaw' apendegas that give it a look like it oculd take off my finger.. needless to say I let it be..lol

Ha-ha! Malhavoc got spooked by male display and courtship mandibles! I bet he gets frightened when moths flash their eyespots, too! ;P

 

[Navaros]

Hehe. Come on now, dobson flies are terrifying. Don't let them fool you.
They were all over this year, I really wish I would have caught a couple to pin. Too late now I guess.

 

[Malhavoc's]

Well four one.. I was thirteen and looking at a fly the size of my finger... with jaws of equal lengh as its wings... that it opened and flared aat me when I tried to collect it.. from fang tip to wing tip it had to be of at least 3-4" wierdest thing I had ever seen.. but then again I'm from ontario canada and never seen alot of htings I've seen now since moving to caly..

 

[Navaros]

I know what you meen, they are huge. Very cool though.

 

[Malhavoc's]

I wish I coudl find another. I would pay to have one to pin

 

[Wade]

The female dobson fly is capable of inflicting a very nasty bite. The males mandibles are impressive looking but have little use ouside of mating and courtship, but the females' are short, sharp, and powerful. Like wire cutters when compared to the males' teezers!

Wade

 

[Malhavoc's]

Intresting wade. I thought they had to do with breeding but didn't realise the female had such a more.. powerful set. Are they predators?

 

[Navaros]

The females jaws ARE scary actually. Well, when they threaten you anyway. hellgrammites are pretty freaky too. ;P The adults don't eat. They don't live long after emerging from their pupae. The hellgrammites are carnivores though.

 

[Wade]

They are predatory in the aquatic larval stage. I'm not sure if the adults feed at all. The female's simply have the same sort of they did when they were larvae, while the males' change.

Wade

 

[WYSIWYG]

Sorry...I just gotta say it.....

I came to this thread to see WHAT this lacewing is.
I'm into T's and not really into insects, but I ended up
in this forum because I found a praying mantis last night and
came here to find some info.

When I saw your pix, the first thing that comes to my mind
is...

This thing looks like a GIANT flea!!

Wysi ;P

Curious who else has seen these beauties. They're almost regarded as the Loch Ness monster of the entomological world. We know extremely little about their imature stages or development, to the point we're hoping tracking devices can be micronized small enough to follow gravid females. To our knowledge, they have never been successfully reared. Only four species in three genera, with two species in the US. Let me know if anyone out there has some experiences of their own!

Order: Neuroptera
Family: Polystoechotidae
Genus: Polystoechotes
Species: P. punctata

Image here:

http://www.entomology.umn.edu/museu...ages/Neuroptera web jpeg/Polystoechotidae.jpg

 

[boxy]

Well, here's the only lacewing I've found, if indeed they are both lacewings


Click for Larger Version


Click for Larger Version


Much more impressive than fleas ;P

 

[spider]

I would have read through the thread but there is so much!


What are its measurements?

 

[Horrido]

Boxy, the top one is an adult antlion.

Spider, giant lacewings are about 1.5 inches long, so about the same dimensions and coloration as an antlion, only much more robust.