Beaded lacewings

Definition

A family of lacewings (order Neuroptera) characterized by bead-like thickenings on their wing venation and, in many species, reduced wing size in females. The 24 genera and roughly 110 living species are distributed discontinuously across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Larvae are specialized predators of termites, though the ecology of most species remains poorly documented.

Etymology

From the bead-like thickenings on the wing veins; family name Berothidae from Greek beros, a type of wasp, with the diminutive suffix -oth- and family ending -idae.

Example

The beaded lacewing genus Lomamyia includes species whose larvae live within termite nests and prey on workers using allomones to subdue their hosts.

Synonyms

• Berothidae

Related Terms

• Neuroptera
• Lacewings
• mantidflies
• Antlions
• termite predators
• Allomones
• wing venation

Usage Notes

The common name refers specifically to family Berothidae, not to morphologically similar but distantly related neuropteran groups. Some authors historically placed beaded lacewings as a subfamily within Mantispidae due to superficial adult similarities; molecular and larval evidence now supports their recognition as a distinct family. The family is sometimes called 'brother lacewings' in older literature, though this usage has declined.