Climaciella brunnea (Neuroptera: Mantispidae): a mantispid that obligately boards spiders

Summary

Larvae of Climaciella brunnea (Say) develop within the egg sacs of spiders. In contrast to other species of mantispids whose larvae actively search for spiders or egg sacs, C. brunnea larvae adopt a phoretic posture and wait for spiders to come to them. Larvae are totally unable to directly penetrate egg sacs; they must board a female spider and reach the eggs before they have been enclosed with silk.