Genus Chrysopa - Stink Lacewings

Stinkfly Lacewings, Stinkflies, Stinky Lacewings, Malodorous Lacewings

Chrysopa Leach in Brewster 1815

10 spp. in our area(1)(2), 12 in North America(3); ~53 spp. total(2)

1. Chrysopa chi Fitch, 1855: widespread northern (Canada: AB, BC, MB, NS, ON, QC, SK; United States: DC, MD, ME, MN, NJ, NH, NY, TN, WA, WI)

2. Chrysopa coloradensis Banks, 1895: western (Canada: BC; United States: AZ, CA, CO, ID, NM, OR, UT, WA)

3. Chrysopa excepta Banks, 1911: western (Canada: AB, BC; United States: NM, UT, WY)

4. Chrysopa incompleta Banks, 1911: eastern (FL, GA, IN, MA, MD, NC, NJ, TX, VA, WI)

5. Chrysopa nigricornis Burmeister, 1839: widespread (Canada: AB, BC, ON, QC; United States: CA, CO, DC, IN, KS, MA, MD, ME, MN, MO, NC, NM, NY, OH, RI, TN, TX, VA, WI)

6. Chrysopa oculata Say, 1839: widespread (Canada: AB, BC, MB, NF, NS, ON, QC, SK; United States: AZ, CO, DC, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, TX, VA, WI)

7. Chrysopa pleuralis Banks, 1911: western (Canada: AB, BC; United States: CO, MT, UT, WY)

8. Chrysopa quadripunctata Burmeister, 1839: widespread eastern US (Canada: BC; United States: DC, IL, IN, KS, MD, MN, MO, NC, NJ, NY, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WI)

9. Chrysopa slossonae Banks, 1924: eastern (NC, NH, NY, VA; additional records possible in GA, ME, MD, WV(4))

10. Chrysopa timberlakei Penny, Tauber & de Leon, 2000: southwestern (CA)(2)

Many species are recognizable for their distinctive, often intricate, facial and body markings. Wing of C. nigricornis (note cell im is overlapped by cell r2 in this genus):

Overview of Adults

Key to North American species in Tauber & Leon (2000).(2)

Chrysopa chi: antennae with green scapes, dark pedicel, and entirely pale flagellum; head with a broad black X mark between the antennal bases, additional black spots above and below; pronotum with 4 black lateral spots on each side; mesothorax with 2 spots on each side

Chrysopa coloradensis: antennae with scapes yellowish, dark pedicel, flagellum with basal third dark; head with black loops under antennal bases, genae with thick black stripe, and dark marks at the lateral grooves of the vertex; pronotum and mesothorax with reddish-brown stripe on each side

Chrysopa excepta: antennae with yellow-green scapes, dark pedicel, flagellum with basal third dark; head with very thin rungs around the antennal bases, thin black stripes on the genae, and small black marks at the lateral grooves of the vertex; thorax unmarked

Chrysopa incompleta: antennae with scapes, pedicel, and flagellum entirely pale; head with broad black ω mark under the antennal bases, broad black lateral stripes on vertex; pronotum with 4 broad black spots (occasionally confluent)

Chrysopa nigricornis: eastern form - antennae with scapes green; head with frons unmarked, clypeus with small spot on each side; pronotum with a single small dark spot on each side at anterior; rest of body entirely unmarked western form - antennae with scapes green, pedicel pale, flagellum entirely pale; head with genae with a second dark spot

Chrysopa oculata: antennae with pale scapes often with a red ring, dark pedicel, and entirely pale flagellum; head with broad black ω mark under the antennal bases, reddish triangular mark above, vertex golden and variably marked (no markings, four spots, or confluent stripes), genae with broad, vertical red stripes on each side; pronotum with a series of small spots on each side

Chrysopa pleuralis: marked as in C. oculata but head with additional stripe along the lateral grooves, facial markings comparable but often darker and more extensive

Chrysopa quadripunctata: antennae with scapes, pedicel, and flagellum entirely pale; head with reddish stripe on genae; body with yellow median stripe bordered by orange-to-reddish spots (often two pairs on the pronotum, two pairs on the mesothorax, and about four pairs on the abdomen); costal cells above the origin of the radial sector at most 2x as long as wide; pronotum and mesothorax with reddish-brown stripe on each side

-no photo-

Chrysopa slossonae: marked as in C. quadripunctata, but costalal cells above the origin of the radial sector (RS) are 3x as long as wide

iNaturalist photo

Chrysopa timberlakei: scape pale with a dark spot on inner surface, pedicel dark, flagellum entirely pale; head with black loops around antennal bases, a connected black stripe along lateral grooves of vertex, red lateral stripes on vertex, and black stripe on genae

Overview of Larvae

Key to most eastern species in Smith (1922).(5). Additional notes on C. slossonae by Tauber et al. (1995)(6) and on C. timberlakei by Tauber & Leon (2000).(2). Not included in the present overview: C. coloradensis, C. excepta, C. pleuralis (all western), and C. incompleta (eastern).

Chrysopa chi: head capsule with 3 spots; first 2 lateral thoracic tubercles pale, 3rd dark; first abdominal segment with small lateral tubercles; all abdominal tubercles pale and forming a distinct border

Chrysopa nigricornis: head capsule with 3 spots; first 2 lateral thoracic tubercles pale, 3rd dark; first abdominal segment lacking lateral tubercles; abdominal tubercles pale but often tinged with red

Chrysopa oculata: head capsule with 3 spots; all lateral thoracic tubercles pale; first abdominal segment lacking lateral tubercles; first set of lateral tubercles on the abdomen dark, all following pale but marked with red above; body extensively mottled dark and pale of varying intensity

Chrysopa quadripunctata: head capsule with 4 narrow marks, middle 2 forming an unjoined V; all lateral tubercles pale; first abdominal segment lacking tubercles; body primarily pale with brown markings forming narrow, loose stripes; incidental debris-carrying generalist

-lateral photo Fig. 2F in (7)-

Chrysopa slossonae: similar to that of C. quadripunctata; thicker markings on the head capsule; head wider; mandibles wider; debris-carrying specialist on woolly alder aphids

-no photo-

Chrysopa timberlakei: head with 4 brown marks, middle 2 forming a V and margining a lighter brown medial spot; all lateral tubercles pale above but reddish-brown below; first abdominal segment lacking tubercles; prothorax with 3 mottled stripes, abdomen mottled cream and reddish-brown

Holartic(3); throughout NA(1)

The tympanum on these insects is located on the wing veins: the ventral side of the radial vein on the forewing.