Wesmaelius subnebulosus

Wesmaelius subnebulosus

Description

This brown lacewing can be varied in pattern. The chequered wing margins and dark spots help to distinguish it but Wesmaelius nervosus is similar and detailed examination is necessary. There is a unicolourous for (melancholica) which is more frequent in urban areas.

Similar Species

Wesmaelius nervosus

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Nettle beds and other dense vegetation, but also in trees.

When to see it

It can be seen from March to October.

UK Status

Common and widespread in Britain.

VC55 Status

Fairly common in Leicestershire and Rutland.  There are at least 32 validated records for this species according to 'Neuroptera and allies in VC55' published in 2018.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Additional images

All NatureSpot records