Department of Entomology

Order Neuroptera

COMMON NAMES: ANTLIONS, LACEWINGS, MANTISPIDS, AND OWLFLIES

The Neuroptera are medium-sized insects that have four many- veined wings. The adults have chewing mouthparts and their antennae are usually long. Metamorphosis is complete, the life stages being the egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The lacewings, also called aphidlions, are found on trees and other plants wherever aphids occur. The antlion larvae are the familiar "doodlebugs", which live in the ground and dig pitfalls in which they trap ants and other insects. The adults resemble damselflies but have readily visible antennae. The dobsonfly adults are found near streams and are often attracted to lights. The larvae are called hellgrammites. They live under stones in rapid running streams and are prized by fishermen because they make excellent bait. Fishfly and alderfly larvae are also found in water but only reach about half the size of the hellgrammite which may attain a length of 3 inches.

Return to Insect Orders

Examples

Family Sialidae

Sialis infumata Newman - Smoky Alderfly

Size: 7/16" (11 mm)

Habitat: Collected occasionally at lights from April to May.

Family: Myrmeleonitdae

Brachynemurus abdominalis (Say) - Ant Lion

Size: 1 - 1 1/2" (25-38 mm)

Habitat: Adults are collected at lights. Larvae of this species are not pit formers.

Family Hemerobiidae

Hemerobius stigmaterus (Fitch) - Brown Lacewing

Size: 5/16 o 7/16" (8-11 mm)

Habitat: Can be found in tree branches and woodland vegetation.
**most of the images included in these pages are from the 'Insects in Kansas' Book. They are freely available for student and noncommercial use (according to their copyright agreement with each photographer) at the PDIS image site, http://www.pdis.org/default.aspx

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