''Lomamyia latipennis'' is a species of insect in the family

Berothidae The Berothidae are a family of winged insects of the order Neuroptera. They are known commonly as the beaded lacewings. The family was first named by Anton Handlirsch in 1906. The family consists of 24 genera and 110 living species distributed ...

. The larvae feed on

termites Termites are small insects that live in colonies and have distinct castes (eusocial) and feed on wood or other dead plant matter. Termites comprise the infraorder Isoptera, or alternatively the epifamily Termitoidae, within the order Blattode ...

which they subdue with an aggressive

allomone An allomone (from Ancient Greek ' "other" and pheromone) is a type of semiochemical produced and released by an individual of one species that affects the behaviour of a member of another species to the benefit of the originator but not the rec ...

. The first

instar An instar (, from the Latin '' īnstar'', "form", "likeness") is a developmental stage of arthropods, such as insects, between each moult (''ecdysis''), until sexual maturity is reached. Arthropods must shed the exoskeleton in order to grow or ass ...

approaches termites and waves the tip of its abdomen near the termites' head. The termite becomes immobile after 1 to 3 minutes, and completely paralyzed very soon after this, although it may live for up to 3 hours. The berothid then feeds on the paralyzed prey. The later instars feed in a similar manner and are able to paralyze multiple termites at the same time. Contact between the termite and the berothid is not necessary for subduing, and other insects present are not affected by the allomone. Adult berothid lacewings are not predatory and feed on nectar like most lacewings. However, female berothids lay egg clusters on logs, stumps or trees infested with termites. The tiny, newly hatched larvae crawl across the wood seeking cracks and crevices that will lead to the termites within.Insects as Predators by T New, published by NSW University Press in 1991

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q747351 Mantispoidea Insects described in 1940 Parasitic insects