Rare Green lacewing spotted

Italochrysa japonica spotted for the first time in country

A rare species of Chrysopidae or Green lacewing was found from Mannuthy and Palakkal in Thrissur district and Rosemala in Kollam district by the research team of the Shadpada Entomology Research Lab (SERL), Christ College, Irinjalakuda.

It is for the first time that the species Italochrysa japonica is spotted in the country. The findings are published in the recent issue of the International Scientific Journal, Halters. This is the eighth species of Italochrysa genus reported from the country, according to research scholar Suryanarayanan T.B. and research supervisor and assistant professor of the college Bijoy C., who were behind this discovery.

“Chrysopidae is a beneficial candidate of the order Neuroptera which feed on pests in larval and adult stages. Though they are widely used as biological pest control agents, their taxonomy is least studied in India,” said Dr. Bijoy.