Insects of New Junction - Spoon winged Lacewing

Spoonwing lacewings are large to medium-size insects measuring approximately 16 millimeters in length, with a wingspan up to 55 millimeters. The body is long and thick, with relatively broad, rounded forewings.

Their flight is delicate and they have a circling flight to avoid walls when they are trapped indoors.

Chasmoptera, with seven species, is confined to south-western Australia. Other genera of spoon-winged lacewings occur in Africa, southern Europe and South America. The common name (spoon-wings) alludes to the stalked hindwings which can measure up to 40 mm in length. One species is still found in bushlands around Perth during November and December. Little is known about the behaviour and life-history of these odd insects.

Image: Jei Lu