PANORPIDiE. 
145 
Panorpid^e. —Scorpion Flies. 
Head prolonged into a distinct beak, with biting mouthparts. Two pairs 
of wings of equal size held at an angle (or wingless.) The male 
with the apex of the abdomen turned up , the apical joint swollen, as 
in a scorpion . Tarsi five-jointed. 
These singular insects are at once 
recognizable from the peculiar head. 
They are of moderate size, found flying 
in wooded places, and easily distinguish¬ 
able. The antennae are long; the 
wings moderately large and held out 
from the body. The abdomen is 
long, in the male turned up as in a 
scorpion’s tail, in the female straight 
and tapering. 
The common Indian species are apparently similar to the European 
form, whose life history is known ; the eggs are laid in a mass in the 
ground ; from them hatch larvae in the form of caterpillars, which feed 
upon decaying vegetable matter usually underground; the larvae have 
\ i 
\ / 
Fig. 64 -.Panorpa furcata. 
(After Hardwicke.) 
Fig. 65.— Panorpa furcata. 
{After Hardwicke.) 
Fig. 66.—Panobpa furcata; hkad. 
(After Hardwicke .) 
imperfect suckerfeet as well as jointed legs and there are velvety spots 
or spines on the segments. Pupation takes place in the soil. The ima¬ 
gines of both the observed Indian species are predaceous and very active ; 
XIL 10 
