Mantidflies
Guides
Climaciella
wasp mantidflies
Climaciella is a genus of wasp mantidflies in the family Mantispidae, comprising approximately 10 described species distributed from North America through Central America to South America and parts of the Caribbean. Adults are notable for their striking Batesian mimicry of polistine paper wasps (Vespidae), featuring a constricted "wasp waist," wings folded longitudinally over the back rather than pitched roof-like, and darkened wing bases that simulate the longitudinal fold of vespid wings. The genus is best known from the common and widespread species C. brunnea, which has been extensively studied for its unique life history involving obligate spider egg-sac parasitism.
Entanoneura
Entanoneura is a genus of mantidflies (family Mantispidae) in the order Neuroptera. These insects are characterized by their raptorial forelegs, which resemble those of praying mantises and are used to capture prey. The genus was established by Enderlein in 1910. As with other mantidflies, members of Entanoneura are predatory insects with complex life cycles that often involve parasitism of spider eggs.
Hemerobiiformia
Lacewings and Allies
Hemerobiiformia is a suborder of Neuroptera comprising lacewings, mantidflies, and related families. Traditional classifications grouped these insects separately from antlions and owlflies (Myrmeleontiformia), but 2014 phylogenetic studies using mitochondrial DNA revealed Hemerobiiformia to be paraphyletic, with some lineages more closely related to Myrmeleontiformia than to other Hemerobiiformia. The Osmyloidea, previously placed here, appears to represent a basal lineage outside both groups. The suborder includes families such as Hemerobiidae (brown lacewings), Chrysopidae (green lacewings), and Mantispidae (mantidflies).