Green lacewings are
insects in the large
family Chrysopidae of the
order Neuroptera. There are about 85
genera and (differing between sources) 1,300–2,000
species in this widespread group. Members of the genera
Chrysopa and
Chrysoperla are very common in
North America and
Europe; they are very similar
[1] and many of their species have been moved from one genus to the other time and again, and in the non-scientific literature assignment to
Chrysopa and
Chrysoperla can rarely be relied upon. Since they are the most familiar neuropterids to many people, they are often simply called
"lacewings". But actually most of the diversity of Neuroptera are properly referred to as some sort of "lacewing", so
common lacewings is preferable.
