ENY 3005 Family Identification
Neuroptera: Mantispidae
Pronunciation: man-TISS-pih-dee
Common names: mantisfly, mantidfly
Identifying characteristics for the family Mantispidae include:
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Mantid like in appearance, hence the common names and family name Mantispidae.
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Raptorial front legs originate on anterior portion of the elongate prothorax.
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Membranous wings with venation typical of the Neuroptera.
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Some adults are colored like green lacewings (image above), while others
mimic vespid wasps.
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Size -- up to 25 mm.
Additional information:
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Larvae undergo hypermetamorphosis, being compodeiform in the first instar
and scarabaeiform in later instars. Some species feed on the larvae of
wasps and bees while other species feed on spider eggs.
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Adults are general predators. Most are collected from sweeping vegetation
in bushy and weedy fields. Some nocturnal species are collected at blacklights.
References:
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Pages 142 in D. J. Borror and R. E. White. 1970. A Field Guide to the Insects.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.
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Page 365 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.
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Page 245 in R. G. Bland and H. E. Jaques. 1978. How to Know the Insects,
3rd ed. Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C. Brown Co. 409 p.
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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.
Links to other Neuroptera taxa:
Mantispidae,
Chrysopidae,
Myrmeleontidae,
Ascalaphidae.
Links to other web sites
Return to ENY 3005 Index to Orders
Prepared by John L. Foltz,
University of Florida, Dept of Entomology & Nematology, 8 December
1998.
Modified 12 June 2001.