Angular-wing Lacewing - Periclystus circuiter

Family Myrmeleontidae

This page contains pictures and information about Angular-wing Antlions that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.


Body length 40mm

This lacewing has wings in irregular shape with dark brown spot patterns on wings. The patterns becomes purplish black under the sun. It is easy to distinguish this lacewing by its wings. Its abdomen is dark brown in colour with two white rings and orange tip. As most other lacewing species, this lacewing flies clumsily and slowly, just about half a meter above ground. It rather finds a stick or stem to rest on and does the camouflage.



There were quite a few of them in Ford Road Conservation Area during Jan 2009.



The lacewing is so confident on its camouflage skill that, in the above picture, it did not move a bit even when I grabbed it with my two fingers. It flied away without problem after we took the picture.


Reference:
1. Insects of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University Press, 2nd Edition 1991, pp 541.
2. Insects of Australia and New Zealand - R. J. Tillyard, Angus & Robertson, Ltd, Sydney, 1926, p323, plate 24.6.
3. A Revision of the Australian Myrmeleontidae (Insecta : Neuroptera) II. New, T.R. (1985) Dendroleontini, Aust. J. Zool. Suppl. 105: 1-170.
4. Periclystus circuiter (Walker, 1853) - Australian Faunal Directory, Australian Biological Resources Study.