Dandenong Ranges Neuroptera

All lacewings, owl flies, ant-lions etc., including their eggs, nymphs or larvae found in the Dandenong Ranges area. This includes the area from Police Paddocks to Upper Beaconsfield to Cockatoo to Mt Evelyn.

• Campion callosus

  12 Jan 2018 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  Attacted to lights (or the activity around them?) About 12mm long.

  

  Star     Comment     Share

  David Francis starred this.
• Nymphes myrmeleonoides Blue Eyes Lacewing

  02 Jan 2016 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  Largest known lacewing. 'Blue Eyes'

  

  Star     Comment     Share
• Periclystus circuiter

  05 Mar 2014 • Leuba Ridgway

  This fantastic antlion looked like many other things ( a piece of moulted reptilian skin, an abandoned cobweb with trapped insects and even dried-up bird dropping.) as it clung to a dried twig. Pic 4 is a dorsal view and Pic 5 from the underside showing a dark abdomen. The head, thorax and abdomen were dark with the last abdominal segments showing some yellow. Antennae were short with slightly curved tips. The spectacular wings looked like lace with dark patterns of black and brown. When in flight, the frames of the wings were hardly visible, showing flashes of dark spatters. Body length (including long fore-wings and antennae) would have been about 50 mm. Spotted on a dry Goodenia plant in a nature reserve ( Wick's)

  

  Star     Comment     Share

  1. Chris Lindorff  Hi Leuba. Periclystus circuiter has now been added, ready for you to assign to this amazing individual.

     Reply • 06 Mar 2015

  2. • Leuba Ridgway  Thanks Chris. Very lucky to have seen this one.

       Reply • 07 Mar 2015

  3. Martin Lagerwey  Its a great and terrible sight.

     Reply • 06 Mar 2015
• Porismus strigatus Pied Lacewing

  20 Apr 2012 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  Glossy black coloured wings with white patterns and some metallic highlights at certain angles. Abdomen is completely covered by the wings. The head is orange with black eyes and fine black antennae. Legs black to dark brown. Long 'neck'. Wings in tall narrow tent shape. Three meters up the trunk of a large E. melliodora there were approximately 6 individuals mostly just staring into each other's eyes. !?

  

  Star     Comment     Share
• Nymphes myrmeleonoides Blue Eyes Lacewing

  07 Mar 2013 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  Lacewing hatchlings popping out of geometrically angled rows of eggs. Like tiny ant-lions. Eggs are placed in alternate left-right angles in parallel lines. Each about 2mm I know other lacewings use long stalks to keep hungry larvae away from each other so maybe these alternate angled eggs are for a similar purpose? Under bungalow eaves in suburban back yard..

  

  Star     Comment     Share

  1. Suzanne Jones  Interesting.

     Reply • 04 Mar 2015

  3. Chris Lindorff  Hi Mark. The ALA is using the name Nymphes myrmeleonoides, which is already in the NS database. It appears Nymphes myrmeleonides could be a synonym.

     Reply • 04 Mar 2015

  4. • Mark Ridgway  Maybe my typo. Thanks.. Backtracking begins. :(

       Reply • 04 Mar 2015

     • Mark Ridgway  Wow that's interesting. Google search gives 943 hits for "Nymphes myrmeleonoides" and 6630 hits for "Nymphes myrmeleonides". Turmoil.

       Reply • 04 Mar 2015

     • Mark Ridgway  Actually after an intensive read I'm not confident of the species now either :( Might need Nymphes spp. ?

       Reply • 04 Mar 2015
• Nymphes myrmeleonoides Blue Eyes Lacewing

  22 Mar 2012 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  40mm long; 4 long clear wings forming a tent at rest; long orange striped abdomen (flexible); small orange head and thorax; orange legs with dark tibia; very long, fine antennae (28mm); This one fell off a tree nto the leaf litter on a public bush walking track.

  

  Star     Comment     Share