rss Dragonfly looking bug
Location: Beaver, OH
August 20, 2011 9:00 pm
Found this bug on a picnic table in Ohio.
I’m not sure what it is but it looks like a dragonfly.
Signature: Conorr
Antlion
Hi Conorr,
Though it superficially resembles a Dragonfly, the Antlion is not even closely related. Your species is Glenurus gratus.
baby mantis?
Location: north central illinois
July 21, 2011 4:36 pm
Found this in my house by a window like like a mantis with clear wings but I don’t know its creepy looking though
Signature: justin south beloit
Mantispid
Hi Justin,
Though it looks very similar to a Mantis, the Mantispid in your photo is an unrelated insect. Mantispids are Neuropterans and they are classified with the Lacewings and Antlions.
carnivorous menace
Location: San Francisco, CA
July 24, 2011 1:58 pm
I woke to find this little guy biting my arm. It raised a small welt that faded in an hour or so. I hope not to meet any more, but I’m curious who I’m dealing with. I had a look through the catalog here, but didn’t spot this fellow. (I’m just glad it’s not a bedbug.) Do you recognize it?
Signature: Breakfast Buffet
Aphid Wolf
Dear Breakfast Buffet,
The larval Lacewing deserves its common name Aphid Wolf. This predator is a welcome addition to the garden where it will devour countless Aphids. Here is a photo from a posting in our archives showing an Aphid Wolf feasting on its preferred meal, Aphids. We have frequently gotten reports from people regarding the sensation of the bite from an Aphid Wolf, and just last week, Daniel had his own first hand experience that is worth reporting. While driving to work in the morning, Daniel felt a slight pinch on his right wrist, and looked down to find a tiny Aphid Wolf biting down. The sensation of the pinch was far greater than one would expect from such a tiny creature. Since Daniel knew that this was a harmless creature, he decided to allow the Aphid Wolf to ride until the destination was reached where it could be released, and in the course of the remaining ten minute drive, the beast bit a second time. Both bites left tiny welts, and the faint burning sensation lasted until the next day. We frequently have to inform our readership that insects might sting and bite, but they are not aggressive. This Aphid Wolf was not provoked, and it bit nonetheless. The sensation was easily felt and the side effects of an itchy welt lasted 24 hours, considerably less than the bite of a mosquito which is far more annoying. Aphid Wolves are amazing creatures, and in some of our older postings, we have used an alternate name of Aphid Lion.
Aphid Wolf
Thanks, Daniel! I’ve delivered the aphid wolf to a friend who’s having an aphid problem. 
Unidentified Insect
Location: New Iberia, la 70560
July 17, 2011 4:02 pm
Hello,
I am usually good at this but this one has me. Can you help identify this one?
Signature: To Parker & Breckin
Four Spotted Owlfly
Dear Parker & Breckin,
This is a Four Spotted Owlfly, Ululodes quadripunctatus, and you can verify that identification on BugGuide. Owlflies are in the insect order Neuroptera, and they are related to Antlions and Lacewings. They are an unusual group of insects that can be difficult to classify.
Daniel,
thanks a bunch, I will pass on to my Grandsons…
they are 7-1/2 and 4 and are bug lovers.
Frank
Weird bugs in Afghanistan
Location: Afghanistan
July 16, 2011 10:19 am
While in some of the greener parts of Afghanistan where the camel spiders, scorpions, and giant ants are present everywhere these almost out of place insects fly around with no since of direction. I am curious to know what it is and what it is closely related to. Thnx
Signature: Avery Williams
Spoonwing
Hi Avery,
Your insect is a Spoonwing in the family Nemopteridae, and another common name is Thread-Wing Antlion. Spoonwings are classified in the insect order Neuroptera which also includes Lacewings, Antlions and Owlflies.
Mr. Marlos,
I truly appreciate you replying to my inquiry I looked forwarded to information on the insect I seen. You all do a wonderful job thank you.
Avery Williams
Weird bug
Location: Elyria, Ohio
July 17, 2011 10:28 pm
Hi,
I was getting ready for work this morning and found this bug on the faceplate in the bedroom. I almost thought it was 2 bugs mating, it kind of reminds me of a combination of a praying mantis and a flying ant. Thanks!
Signature: Maureen
Mantispid
Hi Maureen,
This is a predatory Mantispid, and it really does resemble a cross between a Preying Mantis and a Flying Ant, however, it is not closely related to either. Mantispids are Neuropterans, and their close relatives include insects like Lacewings and Antlions.
Green Lacewing eggs
Location: Naperville, IL
June 27, 2011 9:49 pm
Dear Daniel~
I searched but could not find any photos on your site of green lacewing eggs, which are truly remarkable! I found many of these odd (1/4-inch total length) ”footballs on filaments” the other day in the flower umbels and on the edges of the leaves of asclepias syriaca (common milkweed)that I grow for raising Monarchs. I must admit that I panicked at first, thinking my milkweed had some spores growing on it that would be detrimental to the Monarch caterpillars. But green lacewing larvae are voracious aphidlions, and they will consume spider mites as well. Now that I know what they are, not only am I happy to have them, I am relieved I did not rush to remove them from the plants. There are so many fascinating bugs out there! Regards,
Signature: Dori Eldridge
Green Lacewing Egg
Hi Dori,
We had to dig deep into our archives, back to 2007, to find an image of Green Lacewing Eggs. We love your close-up photograph. Lacewings, and several other Neuropterans, lay eggs on stalks to help the young survive. Hatchling Lacwings are so ravenous upon hatching, that they might feed upon their siblings if they didn’t have the distraction of having to climb down the stalk after hatching. Milkweed surely does produce a fascinating ecosystem. We have gotten very busy with work and our email inbox is filling with unanswered letters, so we are very happy we stumbled upon your submission before it got buried too far under more recent submissions.
Green Lacewing Egg
Sciencebase Q&A (from David Bradley)
UPDATE: We think it is: Nemoptera bipennis
Hi Angela
A photographer friend snapped the attached insect. The presence of long
“halteres” suggests it is a member of the diptera family, possibly
related to lacewings…not sure. I am hoping that Daniel will be able to
ID it quickly and give us an excuse to mention his book again 
Please let me know as soon as possible
Thanks
db
Spoonwing
Hi David and Angela,
You are mostly correct. This is a Spoonwing or Threadwing Lacewing, and it may be Nemoptera bipennis, though there is no location provided for the photograph. If the photograph was taken in Europe or Western Asia, the chances are very good it is Nemoptera bipennis. The error is in the insect order. Diptera is an order, not a family. Diptera is the family of Flies, and halteres are the vestigial second pair of wings that are underdeveloped knob-like structures that are believed to serve to stabilize insects in flight. Most true Flies have halteres, and the name Diptera refers to the fact that most Flies only have two pairs of functioning wings. The thread or spoon wings on this Lacewing are tails on the hind wings, not halteres. This Spoonwing belongs to the order Neuroptera, not Diptera. Hope that helps.
We had a doubter.
Someone reckons N coa ranges across Greece (which is where the photo was taken) whereas N bipennis is Iberia/France…
They look almost identical to my eye…
Any further thoughts welcome, although please don’t be obliged to spend time on this.
Best wishes
db
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