Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Species Chrysopa nigricornis - Black-horned Green Lacewing

Chrysopa nigricornis Green bug - Chrysopa nigricornis Green Lacewing- Id help - Chrysopa nigricornis Chrysopa nigricornis Chrysopa nigricornis Chrysopa nigricornis Black-horned Green Lacewing - Chrysopa nigricornis Golden eyed green lacewing (Chrysopa oculata) - Chrysopa nigricornis
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 Chrysopini
Genus Chrysopa (Stink Lacewings)
Species nigricornis (Black-horned Green Lacewing)
Other Common Names
Explanation of Names
Chrysopa nigricornis Burmeister 1839
from the Latin nigrī ('black') + New Latin cornīs ('horned')
Size
body 15-20 mm(1) (reported here as large for a green lacewing)
Identification
Adults
"A rather large, pale species. Note the almost entirely unmarked pronotum and the almost entirely pale head capsule, with only one pair of small dark spots, one on each side of the clypeus. The proximal parts of the antennae are usually (though not always) darkly colored." — J.D. Oswald


Larvae
The head capsule is marked with 3 spots, much like C. chi and C. nigricornis. Within the eastern extent of its range, C. chi is separated from other members of the genus by the darkened set of lateral tubercles on the thorax and red-tinged abdominal tubercles. In C. chi, the abdominal tubercles are entirely pale. Additionally, C. nigricornis has small lateral tubercles on the first abdominal segment, as opposed to none in C. chi.[
Range
across Canada and US south to NC-TN-TX-CA(2)
See Also
There are several other species known for their contrasting proximally-black antennae (with all but one of the following also having pale heads). The antennae are shorter relative to the body, the antennal scapes unmarked, the face with paired dark spots (typically 1, but if 2 pairs they form a broad "v" on either side of the clypeus), and prothorax with only very small dark spots toward the anterior.

Ceraeochrysa lineaticornis has longer antennae, black stripes on the antennal scapes, and an unmarked face. Occasionally, this species has slight lines on the sides of the prothorax not found in Chrysopa nigricornis.


Leucochrysa pavida has longer antennae, a golden head and regions of the thorax, red stripes on the antennal scapes, a red stripe on the gena, dark stripes on the sides of the prothorax, and conspicuously darkened pterostigmas (characteristic of its genus).


Meleoma signoretii is distinguished by the longer, straight-sided antennal scapes with broad spacing (around the width of each base). The antennae are shorter (comparable to C. nigricornis), the antennal scapes are unmarked, and the face of females has two pairs of dark spots on the fons (forming somewhat of a "ʌ"). The males have a distinctive protrusion from between the antennae (2nd photo), and the face is broadly black-marked.
Works Cited
1.A revision of the Nearctic Chrysopidae
Banks N. 1903. Transactions of the American Entomological Society, 29, 137–162.
2.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.