Mantispa nana (Navás, 1912) ( Neuroptera: Mantispidae)

Like many desert countries, the UAE is rich in species of nocturnal insects that belong to the order of nerve-winged insects or Neuroptera . Members of various families that include green lacewings ( Chrysopidae), brown lacewings ( Hemerobiidae), antlions ( Myrmeleontidae), ribbon wings ( Nemopteridae) and owl flies ( Ascalaphidae) are all common at suitable sites (Howarth and Gillett 2008) and can often be attracted in large numbers to light traps. More recently an insect belonging to a sixth family of this order, the Mantispidae or mantis flies, has been collected and identified. It is Mantispa nana and has been found at a number of sites, including Al Ain and Dubai and is a further new record for the UAE.