Giant Lacewings, Polystoechotes

Marty Mills brought in two very large specimens of what appeared be huge lacewings. A customer in the Saddle Creek area gave them to him for identification, in Mid-February 2021. Ryder Richards then transferred the specimens to me.

Surprised by their large size, I asked Dr. Lynn Kimsey of the US Davis Bohart Museum of Entomology, for help with the ID. Based on photographs, she said it was its one of the giant lacewings in the genus Polystoechotes, probably punctata, and that they are not often seen.

We’ll be sending the specimens to Dr, Kimsey to add to the museum’s collections.

Here are some photographs.