Chrysopa oculata
Chrysopa oculata
To prevent her cannibalistic offspring from eating one another upon hatching, the mother suspends each egg on a tiny, hair-like stalk of hardened silk.
- Scientific name
- Chrysopa oculata
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Neuroptera › Chrysopidae › Chrysopa
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Meadows, gardens, agricultural fields, and deciduous forest edges.
- Diet
- Larvae (aphid lions) are voracious predators of aphids and mites; adults primarily consume nectar, pollen, and honeydew.
- Range
- North America, Canada, United States, Mexico
- Size
- 25-30mm wingspan
- Lifespan
- 4-6 months
- Active
- nocturnal
- Threats
- Widespread pesticide use, habitat fragmentation, and excessive artificial light at night.
- Safe to approach?
- Completely harmless to humans. These are beneficial insects that provide natural pest control. If one enters your home, gently relocate it to a garden. Avoid using broad-spectrum insecticides which can harm them.
Chrysopa oculata , the golden-eyed lacewing , is a species of green lacewing in the family Chrysopidae. It is found in Central America and North America.
Photo: Nick Block, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
Plain-text version: /species/5a2fd9bd-ab76-4929-b319-4dad674cf5b4.md