A Wasp/mantisfly? NJ

[Donna]

Last night I was extremely lucky to find this wasp mantisfly at my mercury vapor light in my backyard. This is only the second one I have seen and both times it was at my light in my backyard in July. While it looks like a small preying mantid, it is actually closely related to the lacewings. This particular species is probably Dicromantispa sayi but there is another very similar species Leptomantispa pulchella.

The common name is really interesting, combining a wasp (which it apparently mimics), a mantid and a fly, although it isn't any of these insects. I would not want to be a smaller insect when this thing came trekking around. It reminds me of an insect from those old Japanese Saturday afternoon science fiction flicks I grew up watching or the thing at the end of Men in Black that scales up the tower in New York. In any case, what an incredibly cool insect...enjoy.

EastBrusnwickPatch

[Tokira]

What a beauty!
Carol
WV