Green lacewings are insects in the large family Chrysopidae of the order Neuroptera There 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 and many of their species have been moved from one genus to the other times and again  and in the non-scientific literature assignment to Chrysopa and Chrysoperla can rarely be relied upon