''Micromus tasmaniae'', known as the Tasmanian brown lacewing, is a species of brown lacewing in the family Hemerobiidae. It is widespread in Australia,

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

, and Pacific Islands such as New Caledonia and

Vanuatu Vanuatu ( or ; ), officially the Republic of Vanuatu (french: link=no, République de Vanuatu; bi, Ripablik blong Vanuatu), is an island country located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is east of no ...

Description and ecology

Adults of the species are 7.5-10 mm long, and are typically nocturnal. The lacewing's lifespan is temperature dependent (higher temperatures causing shorter larval stages). The Tasmanian Brown Lacewing breeds all year round, surviving at temperatures as low as 5°C. The species typically has clear wings and a brown body. The species can be differentiated from '' Micromus bifasciatus'' by the spotted pattern on the species' anterior wings, compared to the brown transverse bands found on ''Micromus bifasciatus''. The lacewings feed on nectar, as well as

aphid Aphids are small sap-sucking insects and members of the superfamily Aphidoidea. Common names include greenfly and blackfly, although individuals within a species can vary widely in color. The group includes the fluffy white woolly aphids. A t ...

s and

psyllid Psyllidae, the jumping plant lice or psyllids, are a family of small plant-feeding insects that tend to be very host-specific, i.e. each plant-louse species only feeds on one plant species (monophagous) or feeds on a few closely related plants ...

Distribution and habitat

The species is found widely across Australia,New, T. R. (1984). Comparative biology of some Australian Hemerobiidae. In Progress in world’s neuropterology: proceedings of the 1st international symposium on neuropterology’.(Eds J Gepp, H Aspoeck, H Holzel) pp (pp. 153-166). and is likely the most common species found in both Australia and New Zealand. The species has been established in New Zealand since at least 1869, and has been identified in remote areas of the country, including the

Chatham Islands The Chatham Islands ( ) (Moriori: ''Rēkohu'', 'Misty Sun'; mi, Wharekauri) are an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean about east of New Zealand's South Island. They are administered as part of New Zealand. The archipelago consists of about te ...

Auckland Islands The Auckland Islands (Māori: ''Motu Maha'' "Many islands" or ''Maungahuka'' "Snowy mountains") are an archipelago of New Zealand, lying south of the South Island. The main Auckland Island, occupying , is surrounded by smaller Adams Islan ...

Antipodes Islands The Antipodes Islands ( Maōri: Moutere Mahue; "Abandoned island") are inhospitable and uninhabited volcanic islands in subantarctic waters to the south of – and territorially part of – New Zealand. The 21 km2 archipelago lies 860 ...

and

Kermadec Islands The Kermadec Islands ( mi, Rangitāhua) are a subtropical island arc in the South Pacific Ocean northeast of New Zealand's North Island, and a similar distance southwest of Tonga. The islands are part of New Zealand. They are in total ar ...

. It has been seen feeding on aphids (especially spruce aphids), and has been found on alfalfa. During the daytime, adults and larvae hide (larvae hiding at the bases of plants in the daytime). The oval-shaped white eggs of the species are often laid on plant hairs and spider webs, close to the species the adults are preying upon. The species is associated with a wide range of plants and ranges, compared to '' Micromus bifasciatus'', which is typically associated with ''

Podocarpus ''Podocarpus'' () is a genus of conifers, the most numerous and widely distributed of the podocarp family, the Podocarpaceae. The name comes from Greek πούς (poús, “foot”) + καρπός (karpós, “fruit”). ''Podocarpus'' species ...

'' trees.

Description and ecology

Distribution and habitat

References

Further reading