ENY 3005 Family Identification

Neuroptera: Ascalaphidae

Common name: owlfly

Identifying characteristics for the family Ascalaphidae include:

• Dragonfly-like insects with large bulging eyes and long knobbed antennae.
• Owlflies are readily distinguished from dragonflies because the latter have short bristlelike antennae and hold their wings outstretched while resting.
• The closely related antlions, family Myrmeleontidae, have shorter clavate antennae, normal-sized eyes, and a long hypostigmatic cell in the distal portion of the wing.

• Four species of owlflies occur in Florida:
Ascaloptynx appendiculatus
Ululodes floridana
Ululodes macleayana
Ululodes quadrimaculatus
• Eggs of many species are laid on twigs and hatch in about one week.
• Larvae are predaceous, living in the ground litter.
• Pupation occurs in a silken cocoon in the litter.
• Adults are strong fliers and prey on small insects.

Front wing of an owlfly.

• Page 145 in D. J. Borror and R. E. White. 1970. A Field Guide to the Insects. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.
• Page 367 in D. J. Borror, C. A. Triplehorn, and N. F. Johnson. 1989. An Introduction to the Study of Insects, 6th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders College Publishing. 875 p.
• Page 246 in R. G. Bland and H. E. Jaques. 1978. How to Know the Insects, 3rd ed. Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C. Brown Co. 409 p.
• Page 452 in H. V. Daly, J. T. Doyen, and A. H. Purcell III. 1998. Introduction to Insect Biology and Diversity, 2nd ed. Oxford University Press. 680 p.
• Henry, C.S. 1977. The behavior and life histories of two North American ascalaphids. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 70:179-195.
• Lago, P.K. and S. Testa. 1989. Records of owlflies (Neuroptera: Ascalaphidae) from Mississippi, with a key to species. Entomological News 100:11-17.

Links to other web sites

• Megaloptera and Neuroptera of Florida - A checklist and bibliography.
• NeuroWeb -- Neuropterists Home Page
• Owlfly larvae -- 3 pictures of just-hatched owlfly larvae