THE STRANGE LITLLE THING CALLED OWLFLY

Words
216
Reading
1 min
2h
Listen to this post
~1 min

The scientific name of the species I'm presenting in today's post is Libelloides macaronius. It belongs to the Ascalaphidae family, a family of insects commonly known as owlflies. When I was a kid, I thought this insect was some kind of moth or a dragonfly of sorts. It is diurnal, and some diurnal moths from the Zygaenidae family look somewhat similar at first sight.
Only recently, I mean relatively recently, about ten or fifteen years ago, I learned that something called an owlfly exists, and I also learned more about Libelloides macaronius.
Now I know that it is a predator and that it has excellent eyesight.
Despite being active during the day, especially late in the afternoon, it has eyes of a type typical of nocturnal insects. However, those eyes work fine in daylight. Don't ask me how. I read that they work, so they work, and that's it about the eyes; not a word more! I had enough!
Owlflies are Neuroptera, or net-winged insects. Their closest relatives are antlions (Myrmeleontidae family).

(Enlargeable)

(Enlargeable)

(Enlargeable)

(Enlargeable)

(Enlargeable)

(Enlargeable)

(Enlargeable)

And that's it. It ain't much, but it is kinda cool, don't you think? This owfly is very common where I live, but it still fascinates me. As always on Hive, the photographs are my work-THE END.