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Photo#62631
I'm stumped - Nallachius americanus - male

I'm stumped - Nallachius americanus - Male
Savannah, on Wilmington Island, Chatham County, Georgia, USA
May 18, 2006
Size: wingspan 8 mm.
At porch light. The only one I've seen since the beginning of spring.

Images of this individual: tag all
I'm stumped - Nallachius americanus - male I'm stumped - Nallachius americanus - male

#62631 Identification -- Nallachius americanus (male)
This is a male of the pleasing lacewing Nallachius americanus (McLachlan, 1881). Only one other species of this genus (and family) -- pulchellus -- is known from north of Mexico. Both species are generally considered to be quite rare, but (at least americanus) can be reasonablly abundant at lights (sometimes several in a night's collecting) in moist wooded areas with lots of dead wood. For an account of its biology see Bibliography of the Neuropterida (http://insects.tamu.edu/research/neuropterida/neur_bibliography/bibhome.html) reference number (r#) 3961. This neuropteran species is easily overlooked as a small moth, but its patterned and very hairy wings are distinctive, as are the pectinate antennae in the male. I would be interested to see additional good shots of this species from those who may run across it -- primarily those who like to run lights in wooded areas. It is widespread across the eastern U.S., but more abundant in the southeast.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm....
I looked at the antenna and they look like they belong to some kind of male moth. That's as far as I got. Hopefully some one will ID this guy for you. BTW it's very pretty!

Additional comment
This insect is a very weak flyer, moving its wings in slow, floppy butterfly manner.

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