Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 19, 2026

Polystoechotes punctata

Polystoechotes punctata is a species of giant lacewing in the family Ithonidae. Found in Central America and North America, this giant lacewing was considered extirpated from eastern North America by the 1950s but was serendipitously rediscovered in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where it was found clinging to a facade at a Walmart in 2012. Although it was found in 2012, it was misidentified until 2020.

Last revised
Jun 19, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
277 w
Citations
9
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Polystoechotes punctata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Neuroptera
Family: Ithonidae
Genus: Polystoechotes
Species:
P. punctata
Binomial name
Polystoechotes punctata
(Fabricius, 1793)
Synonyms1
  • Semblis punctata Fabricus, 1793
  • Hemerobius nebulosus Fabricus, 1798
  • Polystoechotes nebulosa (Fabricus, 1798)
  • Hemerobius irroratus Say, 1824
  • Hemerobius vittatus Say, 1824
  • Polystoechotes vittata (Say, 1824)
  • Polystoechotes strictica Burmeister, 1839
  • Osmylus validus Walker, 1853

Polystoechotes punctata is a species of giant lacewing in the family Ithonidae.123 Found in Central America and North America,4 this giant lacewing was considered extirpated from eastern North America by the 1950s but was serendipitously rediscovered in Fayetteville, Arkansas,5 where it was found clinging to a facade at a Walmart in 2012.6 Although it was found in 2012, it was misidentified until 2020. 7


Characteristics

Winged insect, grow up to two inches. 7

References

References

  1. "Polystoechotes punctata (Fabricius, 1793)". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  2. "Polystoechotes punctata species details". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 2018-04-26.
  3. "Polystoechotes punctata Species Information". BugGuide.net. Retrieved 2018-04-26.
  4. "Polystoechotes punctata Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2018-04-26.
  5. Skvarla, Michael J.; Fisher, J. Ray (2022). "Rediscovery of Polystoechotes punctata (Fabricius, 1793) (Neuroptera: Ithonidae) in Eastern North America". Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 124 (2): 332–345. doi:10.4289/0013-8797.124.2.332.
  6. Berard, Adrienne (27 February 2023). "Rare insect found at Arkansas Walmart sets historic record, points to deeper ecological questions". Phys.org. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  7. Woodward, Carrie (2024-10-17). "The 8 Rarest Insects Still Crawling Around the World". A-Z Animals. Retrieved 2025-03-24.
Further reading

Further reading