Lacewing eggs are supported on long, silken stalks for protection against predators. Mungkan Kandju National Park, Queensland, Australia
Chrysopidae
Danger in the daisies! A predatory lacewing larva hides between petals, Austin, Texas, USA.
Green lacewing larvae are voracious predators. Austin, Texas, USA.
Lacewing larvae are sometimes referred to as "aphid lions" as they are voracious aphid predators. This one consumes a milkweed aphid. Urbana, Illinois, USA
The larva of a green lacewing sucks the juices from a milkweed aphid. Urbana, Illinois, USA
An early instar lacewing larva drains the hemolymph from an aphid. Lacewings are among the most effective aphid predators. Trotter's Bluff, Tennessee, USA.
Freshly-laid lacewing eggs hang from silk stalks. Armenia, Belize
Predator versus predator: an immature lacewing sucks the juices from a ladybird beetle larva. Austin, Texas, USA.
Green Lacewing. Austin, Texas, USA
Micromus
A brown lacewing. Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
Climaciella brunnea
Climaciella brunnea is a predatory mantisfly that mimics paper wasps in the genus Polistes. Urbana, Illinois, USA
This mantisfly is a convincing mimic of Polistes paper wasps. McKinney Roughs Park, Texas, USA.
A mantisfly poses for the 2016 BugShot insect photography workshop near Austin, Texas.
Dicromantispa sayi
The raptorial forelegs of mantisflies are used, like those of a preying mantis, to capture prey. This Dicromantispa has caught a small moth. Austin, Texas, USA.
Dicromantispa interrupta
Portrait of a mantisfly. These unusual insects are neither mantis nor fly, but a lineage of lacewings that specialize as parasites of spider eggs. Austin, Texas, USA.
Plega sp.
A Plega sp. brown mantidfly rests on a twig. Chiricahua mountains, Arizona, USA
Ululodes
An owlfly rests on a plant stem. Austin, Texas, USA.
Some owlflies deposit a series of abortive eggs on stalks called "repagula" below their viable eggs as a protective barrier. Austin, Texas, USA.
Newly emerged predatory owlfly larvae atop their egg cases. Austin, Texas, USA.
Newly emerged owlfly larvae atop their egg cases. Austin, Texas, USA.
