Species Chrysopa quadripunctata - Four-spotted Green Lacewing

Chrysopa quadripunctata Burmeister 1839

12 - 16 mm (1)

Adults

The head is pale with a yellowish-green occiput and reddish stripe following the genae. The antennae are entirely pale. The body is green with a yellowish median stripe. Bordering this stripe are paired orange-to-reddish spots on either side (variable): often two pairs on the pronotum, two pairs on the mesothorax, and about four pairs on the abdomen.(1)

The costal cells above the origin of the radial sector at most 2x as long as wide, which separate it from the similarly marked C. slossonae.(2)(3)

Larvae

The head capsule bears four marks. The inner two are roughly V-shaped (without joining), and the outer two extend from the antennae and curve inward to the prothorax. The body is primarily pale with brownish markings (loosely forming 3 stripes along the thorax, these margined laterally by a series of spots on the abdomen), and all of the lateral tubercles are gray.(1)

e. NA west to SK-KS-TX; BC(4)(5)

(Canada: BC, MB, NS, ON, PE, QC, SK; United States: CA, DC, IL, IN, KS, MD, MN, MO, NC, NJ, NY, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WI)

Larvae are arboreal on the likes of maples, oaks, and shrubs.(1)

Larvae are generalist predators on aphid (and other arthropods).(3)

Eggs are laid singly, often on trees. The larvae don't carry a full debris packet but frequently have smaller bits of debris.(1)

Chrysopa slossonae adults are nearly identical in coloration but has the costal cells above the origin of the radial sector 3x as long as wide. Larvae are also generalist predators or Prociphilus tesselatus that carry a packet of the flocculence (and/or exuviae) of its prey and are only found on alders.(2)(3) The larvae are also very similarly-marked but have wider markings on the head capsule, a wider head, and larger mandibles.(6)