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Palparellus festivus

Posted on by Ryan Tippett

View the above photo record (by Daniel Engelbrecht) in LacewingMAP here.

Palparellus festivus

(Esben-Petersen, 1922)

Identification

Size: Medium-Large

This is a …….. species hence the name “festivus”, meaning ………

Larvae: The larvae are unknown.

Palparellus festivus – Near Near Hoedspruit, Limpopo
Photo by Ashwell Glasson.
Palparellus festivus – Near Near Hoedspruit, Limpopo
Photo by Ashwell Glasson.

Habitat

P. festivus inhabits savanna woodlands in hot, low-lying areas.

Behaviour

Palparellus festivus is sometimes attracted to lights. Adults are nocturnal and often rest in a hanging position amidst long grass.

Adults are active during the summer months and have been recorded from October to February.

Nothing is known about the larvae of this species.

Palparellus festivus – Near Hoedspruit, Mpumalanga
Photo by Daniel Engelbrecht

Status and Distribution

Palparellus festivus is fairly common but is not often encountered. It is known mostly from Limpopo, Mpumalanga and northern KwaZulu-Natal, with one record from Gauteng..

Distribution of Palparellus festivus. Taken from the LacewingMAP database, July 2022.

Taxonomy

Order: Neuroptera Family: Myrmeleontidae Subfamily: Palparinae Tribe: Palparini Genus: Palparellus Species: festivus

Palparellus festivus – Near Kwamhlanga, Mpumalanga
Photo by Christopher Willis

Further Resources

Virtual Museum (LacewingMAP > Search VM > By Scientific or Common Name)

Acknowledgements:

The use of photographs byAshwell Glasson, Daniel Engelbrecht and Christopher Willis is acknowledged. This species text has benefited enormously from comments made by Mervyn Mansell on records he has identified in LacewingMAP. We acknowledge his important contribution.

Recommended citation format for this species text:

Tippett RM 2022. Palparellus festivus. Biodiversity and Development Institute, Cape Town.
Available online at http://thebdi.org/2022/09/15/palparellus-festivus/

Palparellus festivus – Near Kwamhlanga, Mpumalanga
Photo by Christopher Willis
Ryan Tippett
Ryan Tippett
Ryan is an enthusiastic contributor to Citizen Science and has added many important and interesting records of fauna and flora. He has been a member of the Virtual Museum since 2014 and has currently submitted over 12,000 records. He is on the expert identification panel for the OdonataMAP project. Ryan is a well-qualified and experienced Field Guide, and Guide Training Instructor. He has spent the last 18 years in the guiding and tourism industries. Ryan loves imparting his passion and knowledge onto others, and it is this that drew him into guide training in particular. Something that he finds incredibly rewarding is seeing how people he's had the privilege of teaching have developed and gone on to greater things. His interests are diverse and include Dragonflies, Birding, Arachnids, Amphibians, wild flowers and succulents, free diving and experiencing big game on foot. With this range of interests, there is always likely be something special just around the corner!