Neuroptera (Net-winged insects)

This includes Antlions, Mantidflies, Lacewings and relatives. It is not a large collection but I split these out of my general Insecta because I absolutely love both Ascalaphids and Antlions. It’s a confusingly named bunch; some countries (e.g. South Africa) seem to refer to Antlions as Lacewings and the Ascalaphids are Owlflies in Australia, and here, to some people.

I had never heard of an Ascalaphid until 2014 when we found a mass of them swarming around a meadow in France near Millau. I was instantly smitten, as I was with my first Antlion. Then I was lucky enough to find another Ascalaphid species in Andalucia two years later, and yet another one in France in 2023. I’ve added a couple from Australia.

My most recent addition is a Snakefly, something I have longed to see for many years.