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

Species Brachynemurus abdominalis

Ant Lion - Brachynemurus abdominalis antlion? - Brachynemurus abdominalis Brachynemurus abdominalis Greenish Antlion - Brachynemurus abdominalis Brachynemurus abdominalis Brachynemurus abdominalis - male Brachynemurus abdominalis - male Brachynemurus abdominalis
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Neuroptera (Antlions, Lacewings, and Allies)
Suborder Myrmeleontiformia (Antlions and Allies)
Family Myrmeleontidae (Antlions & Owlflies)
Subfamily Myrmeleontinae (Giant, Long-tailed, and Pit-trapping Antlions)
Tribe Brachynemurini (Long-tailed Antlions)
Genus Brachynemurus
Species abdominalis (Brachynemurus abdominalis)
Explanation of Names
Brachynemurus abdominalis (Say, 1823)
Size
25~38mm (from head to the end of the long, slender abdomen) (1)
Identification
Thorax is predominantly a yellow, marked with brown. This species can be distinguished by the 2 brown bands on the yellow prothorax and the brown dots, which are equally distributed, on the wing. The median vein is without brown dots and is, therefore, pale. The abdomen is largely brown or black. (1)
Color is overall yellow and brown. Especially note the two longitudinal brown stripes on the pronotum, which are typically broader posteriorly, and fade out toward the head.

Range
According to John Oswald, "This is one of our most wide spread North American antlion species, and one of the most commonly photographed species in the eastern U.S."
Much of our area (ON-BC south to GA-LA-CA)(2)
Full state listing reported by Penny, Adams, & Stange includes Canada: BC, MB, ON; United States: AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, NC, ND, NE, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OK, OR, PA, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WY(2)
BugGuide data adds not-unexpected records for AL, DE, MT, NH, OH, RI, SC
Remarks
Adults of this species are often collected in general sweeping. Since the larvae are not pit formers, they are rarely reared. (1)
Internet References
~ Center for Invasive Species & Ecosystem Health – description and live image (1)
~ BOLDSYSTEMS website page for Brachynemurus abdominalis - Specimens identified by DNA testing
Works Cited
1.Center for Invasive Species & Ecosystem Health
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.