golden-eyed lacewing

(Chrysopa oculata)

Conservation Status
golden-eyed lacewing
Photo by Babette Kis
  IUCN Red List

not listed

 
  NatureServe

NNR - Unranked

 
  Minnesota

not listed

 
           
           
           
           
           
           
 
Description
 
 

Golden-eyed lacewing is a small, very common, typical green lacewing. It occurs in Mexico, in Central America, and throughout North America. It is the most common lacewing in eastern North America. It is common in Minnesota. They are found from May through October on grass, weeds, and shrubs, in fields, meadows, and other relatively open areas.

Adults are soft-bodied and small, ½ to 916 (12 to 14 mm) in length. The body is long and slender, and has a delicate appearance. The thorax and abdomen are pale green. There are small dark spots on the exoskeletal plate (pronotum) on the upper side of the thorax.

The upper side of the head (vertex) has two pairs of black spots. The lateral groove on the vertex near the margin of the compound eye is completely pale. The upper part of the face (frons) has a black mark. This mark appears as two bold crescents, one below each antennal socket, that meet between the sockets; and a thin line that runs around the outer and upper sides of each socket. There is a red Y-shaped mark between the antennal sockets with arms that stretch well above the sockets. The compound eyes are hemispherical and golden or copper colored. The antennae are hair-like and two-thirds as long as the body. On the base of each antenna on the lower half of upper side there is a reddish band. The band is not separated by a black X-shaped mark. The second antennal segment has a black ring.

The wings are pale green and clear with many green veins and many black cross veins. They are at least 25% longer than the body. They appear to be hairless, but there are short hairs along the margins and on the veins that are visible only under magnification. The forewing appears to have just one radial sector. The subcosta vein (Sc) and the anterior branch of the redius (R1) are not fused at the wing tip. The cross veins at the leading (costal) margin are not forked.

Third stage (instar) larva is alligator-like in appearance and ¼ to 5 16 long. It has long, sickle-shaped mandibles and well-developed legs which allow it to move quickly.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

Total length: ½ to 916 (12 to 14 mm)

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

 

 
     
 
Biology
 
 

Season

 
 

Three generations per year: May through October

 
     
 

Behavior

 
 

Adults are nocturnal, active from sunset to sunrise. They are attracted to lights. They may emit an unpleasant odor when handled.

 
     
 

Life Cycle

 
 

The female lays eggs singly on foliage. She can lay two to five eggs per day and several hundred over her lifetime. The eggs are oval and held at the end of long, slender stalks. They hatch in three to six days and the larvae pass through three instars in two to three weeks. They pupate in a silk, pea-shaped cocoon. Pupa overwinter in the soil and adults emerge in the spring.

 
     
 

Larva Food

 
 

Mostly aphids

 
     
 

Adult Food

 
 

Mostly aphids

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

24, 27, 29, 30, 82.

 
  9/30/2022      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common in Minnesota

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
 

Order

Neuroptera (antlions, lacewings, and allies)  
 

Suborder

Hemerobiiformia (lacewings and allies)  
 

Family

Chrysopidae (green lacewings)  
 

Subfamily

Chrysopinae (typical green lacewings)  
 

Tribe

Chrysopini  
 

Genus

Chrysopa (stink lacewings)  
       
 

Eight previously recognized subspecies have been raised to genus level, transferred out of this genus, or reduced to synonyms.

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Chrysopa albicornis

Chrysopa conspersa

Chrysopa mexicana

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

golden-eyed green lacewing

golden-eyed lacewing

goldeneye lacewing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Costal margin

The leading edge of the forewing of insects.

 

Frons

The upper part of an insect’s face, roughly corresponding to the forehead.

 

Instar

The developmental stage of arthropods between each molt; in insects, the developmental stage of the larvae or nymph.

 

Pronotum

The exoskeletal plate on the upper side of the first segment of the thorax of an insect.

 

Vertex

The upper surface of an insect’s head.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
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Alfredo Colon

 
    golden-eyed lacewing   golden-eyed lacewing  
           
    golden-eyed lacewing   golden-eyed lacewing  
           
    golden-eyed lacewing   golden-eyed lacewing  
 

Babette Kis

 
 

Chrysopa oculata golden-eyed lacewing

Chrysopa oculata, golden-eyed lacewing, on Sweet black-eyed Susan. Photo taken on Barnes Prairie Remnant, Racine Co., Wisconsin on Sept. 11, 2021.

  golden-eyed lacewing  
           
 
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Other Videos
 
  Golden-eyed Lacewing (Chrysopidae: Chrysopa oculata) Close-up
Carl Barrentine
 
   
 
About

Jul 29, 2011

Photographed at Fisher, Minnesota (29 July 2011). Thank you to 'v belov' (@Bugguide.net) for confirming the identity of this specimen!

 
  Green Lacewing (Chrysopidae: Chrysopa oculata) on Wall
Carl Barrentine
 
   
 
About

Aug 15, 2010

Photographed near Fisher, Minnesota (14 August 2010).

 

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this insect.

 
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  Alfredo Colon
8/20/2022

Location: Albany, NY

golden-eyed lacewing  
  Alfredo Colon
8/5/2022

Location: Albany, NY

golden-eyed lacewing  
  Babette Kis
9/11/2021

Location: Barnes Prairie Remnant, Racine Co., Wisconsin

Chrysopa oculata, golden-eyed lacewing, on Sweet black-eyed Susan. Photo taken on Barnes Prairie Remnant, Racine Co., Wisconsin on Sept. 11, 2021.

golden-eyed lacewing  
  Alfredo Colon
8/7/2019

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

golden-eyed lacewing  
  Alfredo Colon
8/2/2019

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

golden-eyed lacewing  
           
 
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Created: 10/14/2020

Last Updated:

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