Mecoptera

Provisional Checklist of the Mecoptera (Scorpionflies) of Brackenridge Field Laboratory and Surrounding Areas
Prepared by R.W. Patrock (4 November 1988)

Fairly common, adults have been collected from the begining of September through December. Most often collected in heavy vegetation. Easily recognized because of the brownish-black patched wings. Larvae eat a variety of animal remains in the soil (Gassner 1963). 

Panorpidae (Common Scorpionflies)

Panorpa nuptialis Gerstaecker 1

Bittacidae (Hanging Scorpionflies)

Bittacus occidentis Walk. Texas1

References

Byers, G.W. 1974. Synonomy in North American Mecoptera. J. Kansas Entomol Soc. 47: 22-25.
Byers, G.W. 1973. Descriptions and distributional records of American Mecoptera. J. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 46: 362-375.
Byers, G.W. 1965. Families and genera of Mecoptera. Proc. 12th Int. Congress Entomol. London: 123.
Byers, G.W. 1958. Descriptions and distributional records of American Mecoptera. J. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 31: No. 3.
Byers, G.W. 1954. Notes on North American Mecoptera. Ann Entomol. Soc. Amer. 47: 484-510.
Byers, G.W., and R. Thornhill. 1983. Biology of the Mecoptera. Ann. Review of Entomol. 28: 203-28.
Carpenter, F.M. 1931. Revision of Nearctic Mecoptera. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard Univ. 72: 205-77.
Ferris, G.F., and B.E. Rees. 1939. The morphology of Panorpa nuptialis Gerstaecker (Mecoptera: Panorpidae). Micro. Entomol. 4: 79-108.
Gassner, G. 1963. The biology and immature stages of the scorpionfly, Panorpa nuptialis Gerstaeker (Mecoptera). Unpubl. M.A. thesis, University of Texas at Austin. 105 pp.
1 McClendon, J.F. 1906. Notes on the true Neuroptera. Entomol. News. 17: 169-73.
Otanes, F.Q. 1922. Head and mouthparts of the Mecoptera. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 15: 310-23.
Thornhill, R. 1980. Competition and coexistence among Panorpa scorpionflies (Mecoptera: Panorpidae) Ecol. Monographs 50: 179-97.
Thornhill, R. 1980. Rape in Panorpa scorpionflies and a general rape hypothesis. Anim. Behav. 28: 52-59.
Thornhill, R. 1979. Male pair-formation pheromones in Panopra scorpionflies (Mecoptera: Panorpida). Environ. Entomol. 8: 886-9.