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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Scorpionflies, Hangingflies, and Allies (Mecoptera) » Common Scorpionflies (Panorpidae) » Panorpa » americana species group (Panorpa americana species group) » Panorpa insolens
Photo#62557
Predator or scavenger? - Panorpa insolens - male
Copyright © 2006 john and jane balaban

Predator or scavenger? - Panorpa insolens - Male
Harms Woods Forest Preserve, Glenview, Cook County, Illinois, USA
June 2, 2006
Size: ~9mm
We came across this scorpion fly eating a moth. Is it predator or just opportunist? Does anyone know the gender and/or species for these guys?

Images of this individual: tag all
Predator or scavenger? - Panorpa insolens - male Predator or scavenger? - Panorpa insolens - male
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Contributed by john and jane balaban on 8 July, 2006 - 10:05pm
Last updated 7 August, 2016 - 8:10pm

Moved
Moved from Panorpa helena.
… john and jane balaban, 7 August, 2016 - 8:10pm login or register to post comments

This insect should now be cal
This insect should now be called Panorpa insolens (previously P. helena)
… Wes Bicha, 7 August, 2016 - 6:19pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from Panorpa.
… john and jane balaban, 9 January, 2008 - 9:19pm login or register to post comments

scavenger
These guys eat dead and moribund insects. I haven't heard of them actively hunting live prey, which they have no way to immobilize. Their mandibles are very tiny. This is a male. I'm not sure on the species. Judging from its wing pattern, it could be P. helena Byers. The only way to be sure is to examine the male genital bulb.
… Joshua R. Jones, 9 January, 2008 - 7:20pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks for the information.
There's another 5 dozen or so that could benefit from you expertise on the genus page here. It's great that some of these are finally getting named! Thanks again.
We should point out that some of the images are posted to bugguide in a size larger than the 560 you see on your screen. If it would help with the identifications to see these larger and more detailed images, you can write to John VanDyk and ask him to make you an editor for the purpose of identifying these Panorpa. As an editor you would have access to the larger format images.
… john and jane balaban, 10 January, 2008 - 6:16pm login or register to post comments

Male.
Can't help you with species, but I think only males have the upcurved abdominal segments whereas females have a 'straight' tail. I remember reading that certain species are predators while others are opportunists, although I don't know whether it is predation or scavenging that is happening in your photo. Really cool shot, though.
… Stephen Luk, 26 April, 2007 - 8:36pm login or register to post comments

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