Plega dactylota
This record describes Plega dactylota (species). Recorded family: Rhachiberothidae. Recorded order: Neuroptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Neuroptera (Antlions, Lacewings, and Allies)
- Superfamily
- Mantispoidea
- Family
- Rhachiberothidae (Thorny Lacewings)
- Subfamily
- Symphrasinae
- Genus
- Plega
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Plega dactylota Rehn 1939
About Antlions, Lacewings, and Allies: the wider group
Order-level background for Neuroptera, the group containing Plega dactylota. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Neuroptera (lacewings, antlions, owlflies) includes ~6,000 described species. Green lacewing larvae are called 'aphid lions' - a single larva can consume up to 200 aphids per week.
Ecological role of the group
Antlion larvae build conical pit traps in sandy soil - an engineering feat studied by physicists for insights into granular mechanics. Adult lacewings are important pollinators of night-blooming flowers.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lacewings are commercially reared and sold as biological pest control agents. The global biological pest control market, which heavily features lacewings, was valued at $6.6 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $16.4 billion by 2033.
Recorded sources for this group: USDA IPM, biological control market research. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Plega dactylota (3)
Photo credits: Contributed by Jonathan Hoskins; Additional contributions by v belov