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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Antlions, Lacewings, and Allies (Neuroptera) » Lacewings and Allies (Hemerobiiformia) » Green Lacewings (Chrysopidae) » Typical Green Lacewings (Chrysopinae) » Leucochrysini » Leucochrysa » subgenus Leucochrysa (Leucochrysa subgenus Leucochrysa) » Leucochrysa insularis

Species Leucochrysa insularis

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Identification · Range · Season · Life Cycle · Print References · Works Cited

Debris-Carrying Larvae - Leucochrysa insularis

Green lacewing with long antennae - Leucochrysa insularis

Leucochrysa insularis ?? - Leucochrysa insularis

Lacewing sp.? - Leucochrysa insularis - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Neuroptera (Antlions, Lacewings, and Allies)

Suborder Hemerobiiformia (Lacewings and Allies)

Family Chrysopidae (Green Lacewings)

Subfamily Chrysopinae (Typical Green Lacewings)

Tribe Leucochrysini

Genus Leucochrysa

No Taxon (subgenus Leucochrysa)

Species insularis (Leucochrysa insularis)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Chrysopa virginica Fitch, Nothochrysa phantasma MacGillivray, Leucochrysa cerverai Navás, Allochrysa virginica ocala Banks

Explanation of Names

Leucochrysa insularis (Walker 1853)

Identification

Two dusky spots on each forewing (single spot in most other Leucochrysa; no spot in L. arizonensis), four mesothoracic spots on a golden ground color, and single abdominal spot are distinctive of this species.

Some L. floridana can have a similar spot on the abdomen but may be separated readily by the subgeneric differences in wing venation (see the Leucochrysa page) and the presence of only a single spot on each forewing rather than two. Note as well the different thoracic markings and a narrow, dark line across the vertex of the head.

Range

e. US (MA-IA to FL-MS); West Indies(1)(2)

Season

May-Sep in NC(3)

Life Cycle

Eggs are laid in clusters. The larvae that hatch are debris-carriers and are known for carrying snail shells (or even live snails!) in addition to insect body parts. See Tauber et al. (2013), p. 119, for a list of the snail species.(4)

Print References

Muma M.H. (1959) Chrysopidae associated with Citrus in Florida. Fla. Entomol. 42(1): 21-29 (Full text)

Works Cited

1.	Species catalog of the Neuroptera, Megaloptera, and Raphidioptera of America North of Mexico Penny N.D., Adams P.A., Stange L.A. 1997. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 50: 39‒114.

2.	A Checklist and Bibliography of the Megaloptera and Neuroptera of Florida (by L. Stange)

3.	Insects of North Carolina C.S. Brimley. 1938. North Carolina Department of Agriculture.

4.	Adults and larvae of two Leucochrysa (Leucochrysa) species: descriptions, biological notes, and relationships Catherine A. Tauber, Francisco Sosa, Gilberto S. Albuquerque & Maurice J. Tauber. 2013. Zootaxa 3750 (2): 101–129 .

Contributed by Cotinis on 7 June, 2007 - 1:05pm
Additional contributions by v belov, PaleoJon
Last updated 15 September, 2021 - 1:29am

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