Neuroptera
Neuroptera is an order of insects that includes lacewings, antlions, and owlflies. Most have four membranous wings marked by dense networks of veins.
Insect: An arthropod with a body divided into head, thorax, and abdomen, three pairs of legs, and usually one or two pairs of wings. Neuroptera is one order within this diverse animal class.
Lacewing larva: The immature stage of a lacewing, often an active predator with elongated jaws. Many lacewing larvae seize prey with paired, hollow jaws that can inject digestive fluids.
Green lacewing: A lacewing in the family Chrysopidae, whose larvae prey on aphids and other small arthropods. Green lacewing larvae are released or conserved to suppress crop pests.
Antlion: A neuropteran insect in the family Myrmeleontidae, best known for its predatory larva. Antlions are one of the order's most distinctive groups, with pit-building larvae.
Holometaboly: A form of insect development with distinct egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages. Neuropterans develop through a complete metamorphosis, with larvae often unlike adults.
Antlion larva: The larval stage of an antlion, often a pit-building predator in loose sand. Its funnel-shaped traps let it capture ants and other small arthropods.
Biological pest control: The management of pests using their natural enemies, including predators, parasitoids, or pathogens. Neuropteran predators can reduce pest populations without relying solely on insecticides.
Owlfly: A neuropteran insect in the family Ascalaphidae, typically with large eyes and clubbed antennae. Owlflies are lacewing relatives whose adults often resemble dragonflies.
Insect wing: A paired, outgrowth-based flight structure arising from the thorax of an insect. The order's characteristic adult wings are membranous and densely veined.
Insect predation: The capture and consumption of animals by insects. Predation is central to the ecology of many neuropteran larvae.