Snow Scorpionflies

Boreidae

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Mecoptera
Family: Boreidae

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Boreidae: //bɔˈriːɪdiː//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Boreus brumalis 245455545 by Will Kuhn. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Boreus brumalis USA by Will Kuhn. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Boreus brumalis Canada by Ben Armstrong. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Boreus brumalis 250722523 by Ben Armstrong. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Summary

Boreidae, known as snow scorpionflies or snow fleas, are small insects found primarily in high-altitude and boreal regions, active in winter months and feeding on mosses. Their unique adaptations to cold environments allow them to thrive on the snow surface, differentiating them from other insect families.

Physical Characteristics

Small body size, typically 2-6 mm; wings reduced to bristles or absent; somewhat compressed body; long rostrum formed from the clypeus and labrum, genae, and maxillo-labium.

Identification Tips

Look for small insects on the surface of snow, especially during winter months. Males display bristle-like wings for mating while females possess vestigial pads.

Habitat

Primarily found on the surface of snow at high elevations and in various habitats in the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in boreal and high-altitude regions.

Distribution

Holarctic distribution; in North America from Alaska to New Brunswick, south to Virginia and Tennessee in the east, and California and Arizona in the west.

Diet

Larvae and adults feed on leafy parts of mosses and liverworts.

Life Cycle

Adults are active from November to March in southern parts of their range, and during spring and summer in northern regions.

Reproduction

Males use their bristle-like wings to grasp the female while mating; females have vestigial wings.

Ecosystem Role

Important in the food web, particularly in moss-dominated habitats.

Cultural Significance

Commonly referred to as snow scorpionflies or snow fleas; have gained some cultural interest due to their unique winter activity on snow.

Collecting Methods

Hand collection on snow surfaces

Preservation Methods

Pinning
Drying in a desiccator

Evolution

Relations to fleas are debated; some studies suggest Mecoptera may be paraphyletic with respect to Siphonaptera (fleas).

Similar Taxa

Fleas (Siphonaptera)
Apteropanorpidae

Misconceptions

Often confused with true fleas despite being completely unrelated.