Injuries from larval Neuroptera

Bites from larval Neuroptera (lacewings) in Australia are recorded. This order of insects is among the most primitive of the higher or holometabolous insects, those with a life-history of complete metamorphoses--namely, from egg to larva to pupa to adult. The mobile instars (larva and adult) live by predation. Larvae have generally long, sharp-pointed jaws, which are used in piercing and sucking prey. One family (Chrysopidae) has larvae with jaws capable of piercing human skin. The larvae seek their prey on leaves of shrubs and trees, and occasionally cause bites to gardeners and others, but as these larvae commonly camouflage themselves with the cast skins of their prey (small insects and mites), as well as other material, such as caterpillar faeces and scraps of vegetable debris, they are mostly not recognised by their human victims. The effects are of immediate local pain with erythema and a local papule, lasting a few hours or at most a day or so. No treatment is required.