What is Lacewing?
{{Taxobox | name = Lacewings | image = Pseudomallada edwardsi AF 1.jpg | image_width = 250px | image_caption = ''Pseudomallada edwardsi'' | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Arthropod]]a | classis = [[Insect]]a | ordo = [[Neuroptera]] | subordo = [[Hemerobiiformia]] | superfamilia = [[Chrysopoidea]] | familia = '''Chrysopidae''' | subdivision_ranks = }} [[File:Pseudomallada edwardsi AF 2.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Head close-up of ''[[Pseudomallada edwardsi]]'' from Austins Ferry, [[Tasmania]], Australia]] [[File:Chrysoperla carnea-group larva02.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Larva of a common lacewing (''Chrysoperla carnea'') or perhaps ''C. mediterranea'' feeding on an [[aphid]]]] '''Lacewings''', or 'Green lacewings', are [[insect]]s in the large [[family (biology)|family]] '''Chrysopidae''' of the [[order (biology)|order]] [[Neuroptera]]. There are about 85 [[genera]] and (differing between sources) 1,300–2,000 [[species]] in this widespread group. However, in America and [[Europe]], the two genera ''[[Chrysopa]]'' and ''[[Chrysoperla]]'' are very common.<ref name = Engel2007>Engel, Michael S. & Grimaldi, David A. 2007. The neuropterid fauna of Dominican and Mexican amber (Neuropterida, Megaloptera, Neuroptera). ''American Museum Novitates'' '''3587''': 1–58. [http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/dspace/bitstream/2246/5880/1/N3587.pdf PDF fulltext] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217133434/http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/dspace/bitstream/2246/5880/1/N3587.pdf |date=2008-12-17 }}</ref> Most species of lacewings and their larvae are active [[predator]]s, and are often used for [[biological control]].<ref>New T.R. 2002. Prospects for extending the use of Australian lacewings in biological control. ''Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae'' '''48'''(Supplement 2): 209–216. [http://actazool.nhmus.hu/48Suppl2/newlacev.pdf PDF fulltext]</ref> Many adults of ''Chrysopa'' can defend themselves by giving out a vile smell from glands at the front of their [[thorax]].<ref name=Eisner>Eisner, Thomas & Maria and