Ithonidae
Guides
Oliarces
Oliarces is a genus of moth lacewings (Neuroptera: Ithonidae) containing a single described species, O. clara. Moth lacewings are a relatively obscure group of neuropterans characterized by their moth-like appearance and reduced wing venation compared to other lacewings. The genus was established by Nathan Banks in 1908. Very little is known about the biology or ecology of this genus due to its rarity and limited observations.
Oliarces clara
Cheeseweed Owlfly
Oliarces clara is a species of owlfly in the family Ithonidae, commonly known as the Cheeseweed Owlfly. It is a neuropteran insect native to North America. Owlflies in this family are generally nocturnal or crepuscular predators, though specific behavioral details for this species remain poorly documented. The species was described by Nathan Banks in 1908.
Platystoechotes
Platystoechotes is a genus of lacewings in the family Ithonidae, established by Carpenter in 1940. The genus belongs to the order Neuroptera, a group of insects characterized by their highly veined, membranous wings. Members of Ithonidae, including Platystoechotes, are often associated with warm, dry habitats and are among the more relictual lineages of Neuroptera.
Polystoechotes punctata
giant lacewing
Polystoechotes punctata is a giant lacewing in the family Ithonidae, reaching up to two inches in length. The species was considered extirpated from eastern North America by the 1950s but was rediscovered in Fayetteville, Arkansas in 2012 when an individual was found on a Walmart facade. The specimen was misidentified until 2020. The species shows evidence of a distributional shift, with eastern populations declining and western populations becoming more prominent.