| Libelloides coccajus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Male | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Neuroptera |
| Family: | Ascalaphidae |
| Genus: | Libelloides |
| Species: | L. coccajus |
| Binomial name | |
| Libelloides coccajus (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Libelloides coccajus, the "owly sulphur", is an owlfly species belonging to the family Ascalaphidae, subfamily Ascalaphinae.
This rare insect is present in France, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland. [2]
These owlflies mainly inhabit areas with tall grass and sunny rocky slopes, at an elevation up to 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) above sea level. [3] They have been sighted at elevations of up to 1800m on the French/Italian border in the high Susa Valley
The adults reach 25 millimetres (0.98 in) of length, with a wingspan of 45–55 millimetres (1.8–2.2 in). [3] The body is black and quite hairy. The eyes are large and bulging; the antennae are long and clubbed. The wings do not have scales and are partly transparent, with bright yellow areas in the first third, dark brown on the external side. An elongated black area is present towards the end of the posterior edge of the wing. The venation is black. The wings are held spread at rest, as in dragonflies. This species is rather similar to Libelloides lacteus . [3]
The Libelloides italicus type in the University of Copenhagen Zoological Museum, does not correspond to any endemic species of Ascalaphidae living exclusively in the Italian peninsula and it is now considered to be a junior synonym of Libelloides coccajus. [4]
Adults can be encountered from April through July. [3] They are diurnal predators of other flying insects. Eggs are laid in groups on stems of herbaceous plants. Larvae are fearsome predators too. They lie on the soil surface waiting for prey. They live for about two years. [3]
The insect order Neuroptera, or net-winged insects, includes the lacewings, mantidflies, antlions, and their relatives. The order consists of some 6,000 species. Neuroptera can be grouped together with the Megaloptera and Raphidioptera in the unranked taxon Neuropterida including: alderflies, fishflies, dobsonflies, and snakeflies.
The antlions are a group of about 2,000 species of insect in the neuropteran family Myrmeleontidae, known for the fiercely predatory habits of their larvae, which in many species dig pits to trap passing ants or other prey. The adult insects are less well known, due to their relatively short lifespans compared to the larvae. Adults mostly fly at dusk or after dark, and may be mistakenly identified as dragonflies or damselflies; they are sometimes known as antlion lacewings. In North America, the larvae are sometimes referred to as doodlebugs because of the strange marks they leave in the sand.
The Apollo or mountain Apollo, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae.
Snakeflies are a group of predatory insects comprising the order Raphidioptera with two extant families: Raphidiidae and Inocelliidae, consisting of roughly 260 species. In the past, the group had a much wider distribution than it does now; snakeflies are found in temperate regions worldwide but are absent from the tropics and the southern hemisphere. They are a relict group and have been considered living fossils, as species from the early Jurassic period closely resemble modern-day species.
The order Embioptera, commonly known as webspinners or footspinners, are a small group of mostly tropical and subtropical insects, classified under the subclass Pterygota. The order has also been called Embiodea or Embiidina. More than 400 species in 11 families have been described, the oldest known fossils of the group being from the mid-Jurassic. Species are very similar in appearance, having long, flexible bodies, short legs, and only males having wings.
Ascalaphidae is a family of insects in the order Neuroptera, generally called owlflies. They are fast-flying crepuscular or diurnal predators of other flying insects, and have large bulging eyes and strongly knobbed antennae. The larvae are ambush predators; some of them make use of self-decoration camouflage.
Spodoptera littoralis, also referred to as the African cotton leafworm or Egyptian cotton leafworm or Mediterranean brocade, is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. S. littoralis is found widely in Africa, Mediterranean Europe and Middle Eastern countries. It is a highly polyphagous organism that is a pest of many cultivated plants and crops. As a result, this species was assigned the label of A2 quarantine pest by the EPPO and was cautioned as a highly invasive species in the United States. The devastating impacts caused by these pests have led to the development of both biological and chemical control methods. This moth is often confused with Spodoptera litura.
Sialis lutaria, common name alderfly, is a species of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae.
Chrysomya albiceps is a species belonging to the blow fly family, Calliphoridae.
Ascalaphinae is the type subfamily of the neuropteran owlfly family Ascalaphidae. Most species are found in the tropics. Their characteristic apomorphy is the ridge which divides each of their large compound eyes; they are thus sometimes known as split-eyed owlflies.
The Angoumois grain moth is a species of the Gelechiidae moth family, commonly referred to as the "rice grain moth". It is most abundant in the temperate or tropical climates of India, China, South Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Egypt and Nigeria, with its location of origin being currently unknown. It is most commonly associated as a pest of field and stored cereal grains as they burrow within the kernel grains of crop plants, rendering them unusable for human consumption. By laying eggs between the grains themselves and hatching at a later time, often during the processing, transportation or storage stages, the moth can be transported to households or countries presently free of Angoumois grain moth infestations. Thus, constant protection against the Angoumois grain moth is required for grain up till the time of consumption.
Parnassius smintheus, the Rocky Mountain parnassian or Rocky Mountain apollo, is a high-altitude butterfly found in the Rocky Mountains throughout the United States and Canada. It is a member of the snow Apollo genus (Parnassius) of the swallowtail family (Papilionidae). The butterfly ranges in color from white to pale yellow-brown, with red and black markings that indicate to predators it is unpalatable.
Deraeocoris schach is a species of plant bugs belonging to the family Miridae, subfamily Deraeocorinae.
Drilus flavescens is a species of beetles belonging to the family Drilidae.
Lomatia belzebul is a species of 'bee flies' belonging to the family Bombyliidae subfamily Lomatiinae.
Chrysopa perla is an insect species belonging to the green lacewing family, Chrysopidae.
Distoleon tetragrammicus is a species of antlion in the subfamily Myrmeleontinae.
Valanga irregularis belongs to the Family of Acrididae. The distribution is restricted in the Australian tropics and subtropics. The species belongs to the largest grasshopper of the continent. Usually the animal lives a solitary mode of life.
Libelloides longicornis, common name black yellow owlfly, is an owlfly species belonging to the family Ascalaphidae, subfamily Ascalaphinae.
Libelloides macaronius is a day-flying owlfly species of Europe and Asia. The genus belongs to the family Ascalaphidae, subfamily Ascalaphinae. The species has appeared on postage stamps of Moldova and Ukraine.
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