#raphidioptera

[musiclovingmoth]

i learned some snakeflies have bilobed tarsi (similar to chrysomelid leaf beetles) and it makes them look like they've got cute little paws :3 photo is inocellia sinensis

[bestanimal]

Round 3 - Insecta - Raphidioptera

(Sources - 1, 2, 3, 4)

Order: Raphidioptera

Common Name: “snakeflies”

Families: 2 - Raphidiidae and Inocelliidae

Anatomy: long, slender body; notably elongated thorax with mobile neck; long, flattened, armored head; biting, chewing mouthparts; two compound eyes, Raphidiids also have ocelli while Inoceliids do not; two pairs of long, membranous, prominently-veined wings; females have a long, sturdy ovipositor

Diet: soft-bodied arthropods, pollen

Metamorphosis: holometabolous

Habitat: in tree bark, crevices in rocks, among leaf litter and in detritus in temperate regions worldwide (absent from the tropics and Southern Hemisphere)

Evolved in: Early Jurassic

(source)

Do you have a favorite in Raphidioptera?

One or more of my favorite animals is in Raphidioptera

I love at least one or more of these animals

I like at least one or more of these animals

I am neutral about at least one or more of these animals

I dislike all of these animals

Voting ended onOct 28, 2025

Propaganda under the cut:

Snakeflies are considered a “relict” taxon, having a much wider distribution in the past, and having reached their apex of diversity during the Cretaceous, before undergoing substantial decline when the K–Pg Extinction Event wiped out all but the most cold-tolerant species of snakefly. Today, only 260 species remain, and they are relegated only to temperate, more northern regions.

Like most holometabolous insects, snakeflies go through a four-stage life cycle consisting of egg, larva, pupa and adult. In most species, the larvae develop under the bark of trees. They may take several years before they undergo metamorphosis, requiring a period of chilling (around 0 °C [32 °F]) before pupation can take place. If the larvae begin pupation in the late summer or early fall, they can take up to ten months before the adults emerge. Interestingly though, the pupa is able to bite when disturbed, and shortly before the adult emerges, it even gains the ability to walk and can even leave its cell for another location if necessary. Eat your heart out, butterflies.

Snakeflies reared at constant temperatures (ie without a chilling period) in a laboratory may become "prothetelous", developing the compound eyes and wingpads of pupae, but living for years without completing metamorphosis.

Adult snakeflies engage in elaborate courtship rituals before mating, which involve mutual grooming behaviour involving both antennae and legs. In Raphidiids, mating takes place in a "dragging position", while in Inocelliids, the male adopts a tandem position under the female. Snakefly copulation may last for up to three hours in some Inoceliid species. Follow bestanimal for more Bug Sex Facts.

Snakeflies are important predators of aphids and mites, and have thus been considered as a viable option for biological control of agricultural pests. A main advantage is that they have few predators, and both adults and larvae are predacious. A disadvantage is that snakeflies have a long larval period, so their numbers would increase slowly, and it could take a long time to rid crops of pests.

[pelagodes]

snakefly girl!!

[have-you-seen-this-animal]

Have you seen a snakefly (Order: Raphidioptera)?

I have now

Yes, in photos/videos

Yes, irl

I'm not sure

Voting ended onSep 17, 2025

The first photo is of a female, you can see her long ovipositor.

[jenfoundabug]

Snakeflies (order Raphidioptera) are interesting creatures. I like to call them "dinosaur bugs" because they're a group of insects that evolved in the early Jurassic, reaching peak diversity during the Cretaceous. Snakeflies are what's known as a relict group, meaning they used to be way more widespread than they are now. They're a remnant of a more abundant past. These insects undergo complete metamorphosis. Both the larva and the adult are predators of soft-bodied arthropods. Snakeflies have four wings, so they're neither flies nor snakes :-) Agulla sp., Northern California.

[reanimateobjects]

welcome back!! missed seeing your posts on my dash

thank you, glad to be back!

[wildmountainlight]

snakefly (agulla sp.) - june 2024

[peachynaturalist]

I found this lil guy in Estes Park Colorado, never seen this species before!! Do you know what it could be?

Oh that’s awesome it looks like a snakefly!!! I’ve never had the pleasure of finding one of these guys, we don’t get them where I live 🥺

Here’s a closer up pic (that I nabbed from Google), they’re so neat looking!! They’re basically lacewings with a long neck lol