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Mecoptera - Scorpionflies, Hangingflies

 

Classification

 Kingdom: Animalia
 Phylum: Arthropoda
 Subphylum: Hexapoda
 Class:
Insecta
 Order: Mecoptera

mecopteraThere are around 500 species and nine families in this order. The insects in this order are found throughout the world. They are most common in humid temperate and subtropical environments. There are around 68 species in five families found in North America.

The name mecoptera comes form the great word "meco" which means long and "ptera" which means wing. Scorpionflies and hangingflies have long forewings and hindwings that are the same length. They are omnivores and eat insects, rotting plants, pollen, and nectar. They have a chewing mouth part and a beak.

Males in the Panorpidae family of scorpionflies have a long, scorpion-like tail that curves up over their abdomen. The tail is really their reproductive organ.

World Status Key
Least ConcernLeast Concern Near ThreatenedNear Threatened VulnerableVulnerable EndangeredEndangered Critically EndangeredCritically Endangered extinct in the wildExtinct in Wild extinctExtinct
Status and range is taken from ICUN Redlist. If no status is listed, there is not enough data to establish status.

US Status Key
Threatened in US Threatened in US Threatened in New Hampshire Threatened in NH Endangered in US Endangered in US Endangered in NH Endangered in NH Introduced Introduced
Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife and NH Fish and Game

  New Hampshire Species

Bittacus pilicornis
Bittacus strigosus
 
Snow Scorpionfly - Boreus nivoriundus 
Panorpa acuta
Panorpa claripennis
 

Panorpa debilis 
Panorpa galerita 
Panorpa nebulosa 
Panorpa rufescens

Additional Information

Key: profile Profile Photos Photos Video Video Audio Audio New Hampshire Species NH Species

Bittacus pilicornis profile Photos New Hampshire Species
This species of hangingfly is found in the eastern U.S. in moist hardwood forests near streams. They are found from May-July.
Source: California Academy of Sciences Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Bittacus strigosus profile Photos New Hampshire Species
This species of hangingfly is found is found from Vermont and New Hampshire south to Alabama and west to Oklahoma and Wyoming.
Source: California Academy of Sciences Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Snow Scorpionfly - Boreus nivoriundus  profile Photos New Hampshire Species
This species of scorpionfly is found is found from New England south to Tennessee and west to Ohio. It is known as the snow scorpionfly because it is active in the winter.
Source: California Academy of Sciences Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Panorpa acuta   profile Photos New Hampshire Species
This species of scorpionfly is found in the mountains from New Hampshire south to Georgia and west to Tennessee and Kentucky.
Source: California Academy of Sciences Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Panorpa acuta   profile Photos New Hampshire Species
This species of scorpionfly has clear wings with black spots.
Source: Biological Survey of Canada Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Panorpa claripennis   profile Photos New Hampshire Species
This species of scorpionfly is found found in moist oak woodlands near swamps along the east coast from New England south to northern Florida and west to Michigan and Wisconsin.
Source: California Academy of Sciences Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Panorpa claripennis   profile Photos New Hampshire Species
This species of scorpionfly is found from May to August.
Source: Biological Survey of Canada Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

\Panorpa debilis profile Photos New Hampshire Species
This species of scorpionfly is found from New Hampshire south to Virginia and northward and westward through Ontario and Quebec to Wisconsin.
Source: California Academy of Sciences Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Panorpa galerita profile  Photos New Hampshire Species
This species of scorpionfly is found from New England south to New Jersey and west to Quebec and Wisconsin.
Source: California Academy of Sciences Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Panorpa nebulosa profile  Photos New Hampshire Species
This species of scorpionfly is found throughout much of the eastern U.S. and southeastern Canada.
Source: California Academy of Sciences Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Panorpa rufescens  profile  Photos New Hampshire Species
This species of scorpionfly is found in coastal areas of New England and along the shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
Source: California Academy of Sciences Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School