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NEUROPTERA, Psychopsidae -- <Images> & <Juveniles>

Clausen (1940) noted this as a separate family of Neuroptera with little known habits. Psychopsis elegans Guer. was studied by Tillyard (1918). The larvae are predaceous on various insects occurring on trunks and branches of Eucalyptus and related trees. Oval eggs are laid in small groups on bark during midsummer. Larvae feed for long intervals, and thus the period of development extends over two seasons. Egg incubation requires 12 days, and hibernation occurs in the 1st larval instar. The second winter is passed in the 3rd instar after feeding is completed. Cocoons resemble those of Chrysopa, and are found in bark crevices. They spend ca. 3 weeks in the cocoon stage.

References: Please refer to <biology.ref.htm>, [Additional references may be found at: MELVYL Library]