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Scorpionfly
(John Obermeyer, Purdue Universityg)

Common Name: Scorpionfly

Order: Mecoptera

Family: Panorpidae

Pest Status: Scorpion flies feed on dead insects and are not considered pests of people.

Appearance: This insect has four, long, narrow, membranous, yellow wings with dark, brown-banded patterns. The antennae are long and thread-like and the mouthparts are located at the end of an elongated "snout." The body is up to 1-inch long and is unique due to the recurved, bulbous abdomen that resembles a scorpion.

Life Cycle: Adult female scorpionflies lay small masses of eggs in the soil. When they hatch, the larvae live and grow near the soil surface before pupating in underground cells. The pupae overwinter and adults emerge in summer.

Where to Collect: Scorpionflies occur in wooded areas and ravines with dense vegetation.