''Chrysopa perla'' is an insect species belonging to the green lacewing family,
Chrysopidae
Green lacewings are insects in the large family Chrysopidae of the order Neuroptera. There are about 85 genera and (differing between sources) 1,300–2,000 species in this widespread group. Members of the genera '' Chrysopa'' and '' Chrysoperl ...
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
These insects prefer cool and shady areas, mainly in deciduous woods, wet forests, woodland edges, hedge rows, scrubby grassland and shrubs.
Description
The adults reach of length, with a wingspan of . J.K. Lindse The basic coloration of the body is green. Wings are blue-green with black veins. They turn pale yellow during the winter. Several black markings are present on the head, the thorax and below the abdomen. The second antennal segment is black.Nature Spot /ref> This species is rather similar to ''
Chrysopa dorsalis
''Chrysopa'' is a genus of green lacewings in the neuropteran family Chrysopidae.
Members of this genus and the genus ''Chrysoperla'' are common in much of North America, Europe and Asia. They share similar characteristics and some species have ...
'', showing an oval pale spot between the eyes, which is roundish in ''C. perla''.
Biology
Adults can be encountered from May through August. They are fearsome predators, primarily feeding on aphids, occasionally on flower nectar.
The females usually lay eggs near aphid colonies. Larvae are predators, mainly feeding on
Aphididae
The Aphididae are a very large insect family in the aphid superfamily ( Aphidoidea), of the order Hemiptera. These insects suck the sap from plant leaves. Several thousand species are placed in this family, many of which are considered plant/cro ...
,
Coccidae
The Coccidae are a family of scale insects belonging to the superfamily Coccoidea. They are commonly known as soft scales, wax scales or tortoise scales. The females are flat with elongated oval bodies and a smooth integument which may be cover ...
species and caterpillars (''
Pieris brassicae
''Pieris brassicae'', the large white, also called cabbage butterfly, cabbage white, cabbage moth (erroneously), or in India the large cabbage white, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is a close relative of the small white, ''Pieris ra ...
'', ''
Autographa gamma
The silver Y (''Autographa gamma'') is a migratory moth of the family Noctuidae which is named for the silvery Y-shaped mark on each of its forewings.
Description
The silver Y is a medium-sized moth with a wingspan of 30 to 45 mm. The win ...