Brown Lacewings

Hemerobiidae

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Neuroptera
Suborder: Hemerobiiformia
Family: Hemerobiidae

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Hemerobiidae: /hɛmɛroʊbiˈaɪədiː/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Hemerobius stigma 115750391 by Barry Walter. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Damaged Micromus angulatus Regnana 03 by Syrio. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Brown Lacewing Hemerobius stigma 1 by Jacy Lucier. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Brown Lacewing Hemerobius stigma by Jacy Lucier. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Micromus angulatus01 by Teemu Rintala, Timo Lehto. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Hemerobius humulinus (27190056425) by Donald Hobern from Copenhagen, Denmark. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Summary

Hemerobiidae, commonly known as brown lacewings, is a family of Neuropteran insects that includes over 600 species worldwide. They are predatory insects that primarily feed on aphids and exhibit unique wing venation characteristics.

Physical Characteristics

6-15 mm in size; forewings typically 4-10 mm long (some up to 18 mm); commonly brown but can also be yellow, green, or black; wings more rounded and extensively covered with small hairs; veins Rs and MA are partially fused.

Identification Tips

Differentiated from Chrysopidae (green lacewings) by smaller size, wing venation with multiple long veins, and typically brown coloration. Keys to species found in Carpenter (1940) and MacLeod & Stange (2001).

Habitat

Woodlands; larvae often found on lichen-coated tree trunks or bare branches.

Distribution

>60 species in North America, including 10 species in Florida. Global distribution with >600 species across ~30 genera.

Diet

Predatory; primarily feed on homopterans, such as aphids, both as larvae and adults.

Life Cycle

Overwinters as larva, pupa, or adult depending on species; the number of generations per year varies by species and climate.

Reproduction

Females attach eggs directly to leaves. Larvae do not carry debris on their backs unlike some related species.

Predators

Preyed upon by parasitoid wasps, particularly in the Heloridae family. Larvae spin cocoons, but it is the wasp that emerges.

Ecosystem Role

Predators of aphids and other small insects, contributing to biological pest control.

Economic Impact

Some species, like Micromus tasmaniae, are bred for biological pest control.

Evolution

Relationships with other Neuropteran families are still unresolved. Though superficially similar to Chrysopidae, they may be more closely related to Mantispidae.