Snake-flies, alderflies, lacewings and scorpion flies in Essex
Males are easy, since the two species are in different sub-genera and the genitalia are markedly different;
as far as I am aware klapaleki is the only member of subgenus Niremberge that has yellow basal
segments to the antennae.
Habitat and ecology
Not known. The Berkshire specimen was reared from a pupa found attached to a dead oak twig in
April; the Essex specimen was swept from low branches. I am of the opinion that S. klapaleki is an
overlooked resident and that it may be rather more widespread than appreciated.
Threats
Not known.
Etymology
This laccwing is named in honour of the Slovakian Neuropterist F. Klapalek.
Family CHRYSOPIDAE - the green lacewings
Worldwide, the Chrysopidae are one of the largest families of Neuroptera, with over 1200 species
recognised in 86 genera (Brooks & Barnard 1990). Until quite recently, British workers followed
the simplistic approach adopted by Killington (1937) of retaining all British species in the single
genus Chrysopa, except for two species consigned to Nathanica, More modern thinking divides the
British green lacewings into seven genera - Chrysopa, Chrysoperla, Chrysopidia, Cunctochrysa,
Dichochrysa, Nineta and Nothochrysa, all of which are represented in Essex. The British fauna
includes 21 species (including three segregates in the Chrysoperla carnea complex); of these 18 (or
possibly 19) arc represented on the Essex list, though one of these (Chrysopa dorsalis) may no
longer be present. The taxonomic status of one of the recorded species {Cunctochrysa bellifontensis)
is debatable. Nineta inpunctata is known in Britain only from a single site in Essex. Of the two
British species not at all represented on the Essex list one, Chrysopa abbreviata Curtis, is associated
with marram grass on sand dunes on the western British coastline and the other, Nothochrysa fulviceps
(Stephens), is nationally rare and only known from the north of England. Green lacewings are
sometimes referred to in the older literature as "golden-eyes" and, indeed, the name Chrysopa is
derived from the Greek khrusos = gold, in combination with a shortened form of optic (= eye),
derived through medieval Latin from the Greek optos ~ seen, visible.
[Chrysopa phyllochroma Wesmael, 1841
National status: Local (Notable) County Status: Doubtfully recorded
Distribution
Recorded from "Colchester'' in 1913. Not mapped. Kis & Ujhelyi (1965) demonstrated that the
species referred to by both Killington (1937) and Fraser (1959) as C. phyllochroma in fact comprised
two species - C phyllochroma sensu stricto and a new species, C. commata. All records prior to
1965 (and many since!) require confirmation by examination of the voucher specimens. C commata
is relatively widespread in eastern England, whilst C. phyllochroma is extremely local and evidently
rare, with only five British Isles records since 1980.
Habitat and ecology
Unknown. All British examples are recorded from light traps.
Threats
Unknown. Nationally, the species may need to be formally upgraded from Local to Rare {Red Data
Book Category 3).
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Essex Naturalist (New Series) 17 (2000)