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The diversity of insects is very wide. They are well adapted to survive in any sort of environment whether it is a mountain, deepest ocean, underground areas of earth or the Antarctic zones. One such successful group of insects belongs to the family Chrysopidae and order Neuroptera. About 1,300-2,000 species of chrysopids are known with 85 genera. The common members include Chrysopa and Chrysoperla which are widely distributed in North America and Europe. Both these species are very similar in their external appearance that sometimes they confuse the taxonomists about their classification. The members Chrysopidae are commonly known as green lacewings.

Green lacewings are very delicate insects with a wing span of about 6-65 mm. the tropical species are largest in body size. The remarkable features of the green lacewings comprise of a wide costal field in their wing venation which includes cross veins. The body colouration may range from green to greenish brown with large well developed compound eyes of golden colour in majority of the species. The wings are usually translucent with a slight iridescence. Some species have green wing veins while others have cloudy brownish wing patterns. Sometimes a vernacular name stinkflies is also used for Chrysopa species because they are known to release a despicable smell from their prothoracal glands when captured.

Adult green lacewings carry tympanal organs at the base of forewings which help them to hear well. Some species of Chrysopa while flying show a vague behaviour when they hear the calls of bats and other predators they drop to the ground in order to protect themselves. Lacewings are also known to pick up substrate of body vibrations as a means of communication especially during courtship. Species which are morphologically very similar may be differentiated on the basis of their mating signals. The southern European green lacewing resembles very much with its northern relative but differ in their courtship calls. Individuals of one species do not respond to the mating calls of other species. Adult lacewings are nocturnal and food upon a wide variety of food materials. They feed on nectar, pollen and honeydew along with aphids, mites and small arthropods. Chrysopa is mainly predatory. Other species feed on nectar and other related food stuffs and carry symbiotic yeasts in their guts to break down the food materials consumed. The larvae are more slender and bear a prominent bulge on the thorax surrounded by a number of bristles. The bristles collect debris and food remains and provide camouflage from birds. Eggs are laid either singly or in groups. A female lays about 100-200 eggs. Eggs are laid on plants especially on the areas where aphids are present in high quantity. Eggs are attached to the undersurface of leaf with a stalk about 1 cm long. The larvae soon after hatching from the eggs begin to feed. They are voracious feeders and prefer to feed on small insects like aphids, caterpillars, insect larvae, and insect eggs. Larvae are commonly known as aphid lions and aphid wolves.

Larvae have weekly developed sense organs and are sensitive to touch. They walk in a haphazard fashion and whenever encounter with a prey they grasp it. The maxillae are hollow so the digestive fluid can be injected into the prey for example aphid is dissolved in 90 seconds with the help of the digestive fluid. The larvae when full grown enter pupation. The pupal period is very much affected by the environmental conditions. The pupal period varies from 1-3 weeks. Depending upon the environmental conditions some species consume only 150 prey items throughout their life while some consume about 100 aphids in a week. Members of Chrysopidae are reared for sale to be used as biological control agents against serious insect pests like mites and aphids. They are also distributed in their egg stages as they are highly cannibalistic and aggressive in behaviour. However, more research is required for them to be used as biological control agents. Gardeners attract them by planting flowers like sunflower, dandelion and beneficial weeds.

Fossil records of the green lacewings are not available so many species have not been studied extensively so far.

Navodita Maurice