THE ENTOMOLOGIST 



Vol. XLIIL] JULY, 1910. [No. 566 



BRITISH SCORPION-FLIES. 



By W. J. Lucas, B.A., F.E.S. 



(Plate IV.) 



Within the natural order Neuroptera is to be found a distinct 

 little group of insects, the typical members of which are most 

 appropriately named *' Scorpion-flies." McLachlan, in his mono- 

 graph of the British Planipennia* (Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1868), 

 designates them Panorpina, thus giving them more than family 

 rank, while some systematists go the length of constituting them 

 a distinct order under the name of Mecaptera ; but this seems 

 scarcely necessary for ordinary purposes. In Britain we have, 

 so far as is known, but four representatives of the group — 

 three belonging to the typical genus, Panorpa, the scorpion- 

 flies proper, and one species representing the peculiar genus 

 Boreus. 



Carnivorous habits characterise both of the active stages of 

 these insects. The larvae somewhat resemble those of sawflies, 

 since they possess prolegs as well as true ones. Besides the 

 scorpion-like tip to the abdomen of the male, perhaps the most 

 distinctive feature of the imago is the beak-shaped head (Plate IV. 

 fig. 1/), which is turned downwards when in its normal position. 

 At its distal extremity are the mandibles and maxillae, while the 

 eyes and long antennae are at its base. The wings are long, and 

 in shape not unlike those of many dragonflies. It seems clear 

 that the eggs are laid in moist soil, and that they hatch in about 

 seven days. After feeding for about four weeks they become 

 quiescent, but it is only after a further period of some weeks that 

 they change into pupae, which are motionless, although their 

 limbs are free. 



For much of what is known concerning the life-history of the 

 scorpion-flies we are indebted to Brauer's two papers in Sitz. 

 Akad. Wissensch. of Vienna, 1851, and in Verb, zool.-bot. Gesell. 

 of Vienna, 1863. McLachlan has given a translation of part of 



"= = Neuroptera (Entom. xlii. p. 271). 

 ENTOM. — JULY, 1910. P 



