Clickable Guide

Interactive image map to choose major taxa

Calendar

Upcoming Events

National Moth Week was July 19-27, and the Summer 2025 gathering in Louisiana, July 19-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2024

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Antlions, Lacewings, and Allies (Neuroptera) » Lacewings and Allies (Hemerobiiformia) » Pleasing Lacewings (Dilaridae)

Family Dilaridae - Pleasing Lacewings

Pleasing Lacewing - Nallachius americanus - male

What is this? - Nallachius americanus - female

pleasing lacewing larva - Nallachius americanus

Arizona Pleasing Lacewing - Nallachius pulchellus

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 Dilaridae (Pleasing Lacewings)

Explanation of Names

Dilaridae Newman 1853

From Old World genus Dilar Rambur 1838, a genus named after the Dílar region of Spain(1)

Numbers

2 spp. of a single genus in our area(2), >70 spp. in 4 genera worldwide(3)

Identification

Larvae very elongate:

Adults resemble small brown moths: male antennae pectinate, female filiform; ovipositor recurved over abdomen:

N. americanus ♂

N. pulchellus ♀

Our species can be separated by wing venation (N. americanus vs N. pulchellus); genitalia; and range(4)(5)

Range

One widely distributed sp. (se. US to TX north to MI), and one restricted to AZ(2)

Habitat

Larvae under bark; adults come to lights

Season

May to at least July

Food

Larvae are presumed to feed on beetles and ants (esp. eggs, larvae) under bark

Remarks

Relationships to other neuropteran families discussed in(6)

Print References

Works Cited

1.	Bibliography of the Neuropterida (by J.D. Oswald)

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.

3.	Neuropterida Species of the World catalogue (by J.D. Oswald)

4.	A revision of the Nearctic Hemerobiidae, Berothidae, Sisyridae, Polystoechotidae and Dilaridae (Neuroptera) Carpenter F.M. 1940. Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts and Sciences 74: 193-280.

5.	A guide to the lacewings (Neuroptera) of Costa Rica Norman D. Penny (author & editor), Kevin M. Hoffman, Martin Meinander, Victor J. Monserrat, Lionel A. Stange. 2002. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 53(12): 161-457.

6.	Evolution of the Insects David Grimaldi and Michael S. Engel. 2005.

Contributed by Robin McLeod on 18 July, 2006 - 10:48am
Additional contributions by cotinis, Hartmut Wisch, Aaron Schusteff, v belov
Last updated 25 July, 2023 - 4:46pm

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2025 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Printer Friendly Version