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Lacewing

Psectra iniqua

Description:

I thought it was a planthopper, then I thought it was a lacewing. Now I don't think it is either. Pretty nondescript fly-like insect but flash revealed a lovely necklace of gold. Flies well.

Habitat:

On the wall.

Notes:

The first photo was taken with flash and cropped. The second was taken without flash and has not been cropped. All thanks to John B for the detective work that ID-ed this insect for me.

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5 Comments

SukanyaDatta
SukanyaDatta a month ago

Hello from India, It is always wonderful to interact with you John, the courtesy you show everyone is such a rare phenomenon these days. Reading your comment, I must agree that I cannot co-relate the "Pharaoh's necklace" to any structure...so, perhaps you the light is the agent!

John B.
John B. a month ago

Good evening from the Philippines, Sukanya. Your kind words are much appreciated, but I can't forget how you helped me, step by step, throughout my early months in Project Noah. Now, to return to the subject of the "Pharaoh's necklace", I am pretty sure that it is just, as you pointed out in your Notes, an effect produced by the flash striking the nervure of the wings at a certain angle. I cannot find a photo of a specimen with the wings spread out, but I suspect that we might be seeing the reflected light from the hindwings. If you look at https://mexico.inaturalist.org/taxa/4245........ the necklace can be seen in a photo without flash, but it is not possible to know if the necklace pattern is in the forewings or the hindwings. Thank you for sharing your photos. I always like spottings which raise questions because they are both challenging and rewarding.

SukanyaDatta
SukanyaDatta a month ago

Thank you , John. You have been incredibly generous with your time...to give me an ID
So, it IS a lacewing, after all...I wonder what those stick like things are..the Pharaoh's necklace that it seems to be wearing.

John B.
John B. a month ago

The closest I have found is https://www.inaturalist.org/observations........ in Bangladesh.

John B.
John B. a month ago

Hi Sukanya, I am sure that you were right to dismiss the possibilty of this being a Hopper, but I think your insect looks very much like Psectra iniqua. I am still searching for confirmation of distribution and will let you know if I find it.

SukanyaDatta
Spotted by
SukanyaDatta

Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Spotted on Mar 15, 2024
Submitted on Mar 16, 2024

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