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mantis lacewing

Campion impressus

Photo by MartinL
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

A large lacewing insect with powerful grasping forelegs similar to a mantis

Habitat:

Perched on a Casuarina bush

Notes:

Last pic is an older spotting in Northern Territory. The first mantis-fly i'd seen.
Check this other one http://www.flickr.com/photos/30186714@N07/3947711390/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/87155171@N08/7981254973/
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/17100518

Reference Links:

Image #2 of the bug Mantis Lacewing (Campion impressus)

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (19)
StephenSolomons
I agree, looks like a different species. Interesting.... Thanks martini I will look at a few others. I fluked the name :)
MartinL
Thanks Gilma. I've seen this twice, and in the same location.
MartinL
Sorry argybee, this is the indian mantis lacewing here http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/7758760
Ashish
Unbelievable organism.. great find Martin...!!
MartinL
They are in India too! http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/8190334
MartinL
Another spotting about two weeks later (pic #4) seemed smaller but looks like the same species.
MartinL
Thanks for your comments. This was an exciting find.
MartinL
Seems you caught me out; I glued them on:) Check the link, to Daves Garden (and see all three images) to check one using its forelegs. When you see a pic with white sheet background, it was intentionally attracted by a night lamp against a white sheet.
Mark Ridgway
The more you look the weirder it gets. Are you sure you didn't glue this thing together from spare parts martinl? So he figured four legs are plenty enough to get around on... then if he moves two legs forwards on an very extended thorax he can turn them into grabbers. An interesting experiment. Wonder how it works for them. Would love to see them in action.

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Photographed
PublishedDecember 25, 2011

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