In Arkansas found an insect from the time of the dinosaurs: it was considered extinct in America

A giant Jurassic insect that has been absent from eastern North America for at least half a century has been spotted sitting at a Walmart in Arkansas. Writes about it The Guardian.

Photo: IStock

The giant lacewing (Polystoechotes punctata), discovered recently in Fayetteville, Arkansas, has delighted scientists. The discovery of a species that was abundant during the age of the dinosaurs but thought to have disappeared from large swaths of North America has led to speculation that entire populations may be living in remote parts of the Ozark Mountains.

The giant lacewing was discovered by Michael Squarla, director of the Insect Identification Laboratory in Pennsylvania. In the report, he explained that he made the discovery in 2012 while he was a doctoral student at the University of Arkansas.

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“I remember this moment clearly: I was walking to Walmart to buy milk and saw this huge insect on the side of the building,” Skvarla admitted. “I thought it looked interesting, so I took it in my hand and, holding it between my fingers, made my purchases.” When I returned home, I framed it and forgot about it for almost ten years.”

In a co-authored paper recently published in the Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, Skvarla said the specimen was incorrectly labeled in his personal collection as an antlion, an insect with similar features.

The correct designation for the lacewing had to wait until the end of 2020, when Skwarla taught a Zoom biodiversity class during the COVID-19 lockdown. When the teacher and students looked at the microscopic images, they realized that the sample had been mislabeled.

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The giant lacewing was once an abundant species in North America, but was thought to have been completely extirpated in the eastern regions by the 1950s. This insect was depicted as a cross between a fly and a moth, with colorful wings that it holds over its body like a tent.

The reasons for the apparent disappearance of the insect have long remained a mystery. Possible explanations include light pollution from urbanization and the introduction of non-native species such as ground beetles that prey on lacewings or earthworms that can alter soil consistency.

Fighting wildfires in the eastern region may also play a role, as giant lacewings depend on post-fire ecosystems.

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