Prismatic Lacewing

  

Desktop/Console/Mobile-Only Content: This information applies only to the Desktop, Console, and Mobile versions of Terraria.

Prismatic Lacewing

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Statistics

Type	Boss summonCrafting material
Consumable	✔️
Use time	15 (Very fast)
Tooltip	'Its wings are so delicate, you must be careful not to damage it...'
Rarity	03*
Sell	5 GC
Research	3 required

• Internal Item ID: 4961 (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)

Prismatic LacewingHardmode exclusive

Statistics

Type	Critter
Environment	The Hallow + Surface + Night
AI Type	Butterfly AI
Damage	0
Max Life	5
Defense	0
KB Resist	0%

Sounds

Hurt
Killed

• Internal NPC ID: 661

The Prismatic Lacewing is a rare Hardmode, post-Plantera flying critter and boss-summoning item that spawns on the surface Hallow after Plantera has been defeated. Prismatic Lacewings disappear almost instantaneously when spawned in any other biome, and only spawn in the Hallow between dusk (7:30 PM) and midnight (12:00 AM). When killed by a player, it summons the Empress of Light; death from non-player sources will generally not result in summoning. Only one Prismatic Lacewing can be naturally spawned at a time.

The Prismatic Lacewing can be caught with Bug Net, Lavaproof Bug Net, and Golden Bug Net. Releasing it from the inventory (with ⚒ Use / Attack) and killing it will still summon the Empress of Light.

It is one of the few entities that can be detected by the Lifeform Analyzer or its upgrades.

Crafting

Used in

Result	Ingredients	Crafting station
Prismatic Lacewing Jar(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	Bottle Prismatic Lacewing(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	By Hand

Notes

• The Prismatic Lacewing is classified in-game as an enemy, not as a critter.
  • Therefore, it does not generate life, unlike other critters. It will also not take damage from or be killed by other enemies.
  • However, player summons will not actively target it, though they may kill it by accident while attacking another enemy.
• While the Empress of Light is alive, killing more than one Prismatic Lacewing at once will not summon additional copies of the boss.
• The Prismatic Lacewing will despawn almost immediately if released outside of the Hallow, but can still be killed to summon the Empress of Light if done fast enough or if placed directly onto a damaging projectile, such as with the Clinger Staff or Rainbow Gun.
• Prismatic Lacewings will only spawn on Hallowed grass (not including its mowed variant), Pearlstone Blocks, Pearlsand Blocks, and Pink Ice Blocks.
• A Prismatic Lacewing can only be damaged by a player if they are close enough; it will appear translucent if the player is far away. This is likely done to prevent accidentally summoning the Empress of Light while the Prismatic Lacewing is off-screen.
• If the Prismatic Lacewing takes damage from a player but is killed by another projectile (e.g. from a trap), the Empress of Light will still spawn.
  • Fallen Stars count as player damage for this purpose, hence the boss will be summoned if the Prismatic Lacewing is hit by a Fallen Star.
  • If the Prismatic Lacewing only takes damage from non-player sources, the boss will not be summoned.
• In Don't dig up worlds, the Prismatic Lacewing can spawn at any time of day.

Achievements

Like a Boss • “Obtain a boss-summoning item.”

Obtain any boss-summoning item. (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)

Category: Collector

Tips

• Using a Bug Net, it can be kept in the player's inventory to later release it at a more appropriate time, such as to fight the Empress of Light when better prepared.
• The Guide to Critter Companionship (or its upgrade, the Guide to Peaceful Coexistence) can be helpful to prevent accidentally summoning the Empress of Light.
  • It is recommended that the player remember to deactivate the Guide to Critter Companionship before attempting to summon the boss.
• Using a Battle Potion and Water Candle increases its spawn rate, like other enemies.
  • Similarly, because it is considered an enemy, its spawn rate is increased during the Blood Moon event and can be easily farmed using a Bloody Tear.
• Building a platform roughly 35 tiles above a Hallow biome while under the influence of a Water Candle, the player can expect 3–8 Lacewings to spawn, provided they are there from 7:30 PM to 12:00 AM.
• If the player does not have a surface Hallowed biome in their world, Holy Water or a Clentaminator with Blue Solution can be used to create one.
• Spreading out sentry weapons and using summons with long range such as the Sanguine Staff can quickly clear the mob cap to allow more Prismatic Lacewings to spawn.

Trivia

• The Windy Balloon(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Lunatic Devotee, Truffle Worm, and Prismatic Lacewing are the only entities classified as an "enemy" that otherwise deal absolutely no damage to the player.
• Contrary to their behavior as butterflies in-game, real-life lacewings are not butterflies, but are more genetically similar to mantisflies and antlions.

• The Bestiary entry for the Prismatic Lacewing: "Should one of these luminescent beings perish in the chaos of night, a sleeping tyrant is rumored to violently awaken."

See also

• Butterflies
• Truffle Worms, another critter that is used for boss summoning.

History

 Desktop version

• Desktop 1.4.4.8: Now grants the "Like a Boss" achievement.

• Desktop 1.4.4: Spawn rates are now impacted by Luck.

• Desktop 1.4.0.3: Spawn rate significantly increased.

• Desktop 1.4.0.1: Introduced.

 Console version

• Console 1.4.0.5.4.1: Introduced with change from 1.4.0.3.

 Nintendo Switch version

• Switch 1.4.0.5.5: Introduced.

 Mobile version

• Mobile 1.4.0.5.0: Introduced with change from 1.4.0.3.