Mantidfly Photos

Mantidfly Photos

By Shawn Olson

Posted on 07.07.05

One of my games with the kids is to give a quarter to any of my children that finds me an interesting insect. Well my step-son Chris earned a quarter at Reddick Park this week with the discovery of a Mantidfly. At first I thought this small predatory insect was a small mantis, but I soon found out it is a related species altogether.

Mantidflies are small predators that sometimes mimmick wasps in look. They have lacy wings and do not get as large as their mantis cousins. In fact, mantidflies belong to the Neuroptera order and are closer relatives to Lacewings than mantids...

This mantidfly was around 1.5 inches in length.

mantidfly photo

mantidfly photo

mantidfly photo

mantidfly photo

mantidfly photo

mantidfly photo

Learn more about mantidflies at:

Mantidlfy Bug Guide
A Weed's Worth Mantidflies

Copyright © 2005-2008 by Shawn Olson.
mantidfly photoMantidfly stretching its right foreleg.
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