Scorpionflies
Scorpionflies are insects belonging to the family Panorpidae within the order Mecoptera.
All adult scorpionflies have chewing mouthparts. Most scorpionflies also have 4 wings, although individuals belonging to the rare “Snow Scorpionfly” family (Boreidae) have no wings. Scorpionflies can be easily recognized by the long “rostrum,” at the end of which are the mouthparts.
Scorpionflies are named because of the external male genitalia which resembles the stingers of scorpions. Scorpionflies cannot sting. Females do not have this structure.
Mecoptera can reach a body length of 3. 5 to 20 mm with a wingspan of 20 to 40 mm. They have 2 pairs of wings which are almost identical. In some species, the wings are much smaller and in others, the larger pair of wings is missing. A notable characteristic of the adult insect is the elongation of the mouthparts; this has earned it the name „Schnabelfliege“ in German (Schnabel = beak; Fliege = fly).
The larvae look like caterpillars but have real legs on the chest and abdomen segments. A fork placed on the last abdomen segment also serves the movement of the larvae.
Some examples of Mecoptera are snow scorpionflies, hangingflies and species of the Panorpidae.
