Mid-winter Boreus
Boreus brumalis
This record describes Boreus brumalis (species). Recorded family: Boreidae. Recorded order: Mecoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Legs, antennae, eyes, rostrum dull black; abdomen shiny blackish-green with light brown lateral stripes; ovipositor shiny black; rudimentary wings in male brownish-black; in female, the tiny wingpads are barely visible as two minute grayish-black spots on the thorax.
Wikipedia reference for Boreus brumalis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boreus_brumalis.
Classification
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
QC to MN to TN and DC ; iNaturalist records of this species into southern North Carolina . Perhaps to be looked for in the mountains of South Carolina and Georgia?
Seasonal Activity
Nov-Apr (BG data)
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Recorded utilizing the mosses Dicranella heteromalla and Atrichum angustatum in Illinois. Host mosses include D. heteromalla and Atrichum spp. in New England
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Boreus brumalis Fitch 1847 brumalis (L). 'of the winter solstice.' Common name The Mid-winter Boreus proposed by Fitch (1847)
About Scorpionflies, Hangingflies, and Allies: the wider group
Order-level background for Mecoptera, the group containing Boreus brumalis. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Mecoptera (scorpionflies) includes ~600 described species. Males of many species have an upturned abdomen tip resembling a scorpion's stinger, but they are completely harmless. Mecoptera are among the oldest insect orders with fossils dating to the Permian period (~270 million years ago).
Ecological role of the group
Scorpionflies are primarily scavengers feeding on dead insects and decaying organic matter. Some species practice 'nuptial gifting' - males offer prey items or salivary secretions to females as mating gifts.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Scorpionflies have little direct economic impact but are valuable research subjects - they are considered ancestral to fleas and possibly to all holometabolous insects (those with complete metamorphosis).
Recorded sources for this group: Entomological research, paleontology. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Mid-winter Boreus (3)
Photo credits: Contributed by tom murray; Additional contributions by cotinis , Robin McLeod , Mike Quinn , Ben Coulter , v belov , metrioptera
Frequently Asked Questions About Mid-winter Boreus
What is Mid-winter Boreus?
Mid-winter Boreus (Boreus brumalis) is a species in the family Boreidae, within the order Mecoptera.
How do you identify Mid-winter Boreus?
Legs, antennae, eyes, rostrum dull black; abdomen shiny blackish-green with light brown lateral stripes; ovipositor shiny black; rudimentary wings in male brownish-black; in female, the tiny wingpads are barely visible as two minute grayish-black spots on the thorax.
Where is Mid-winter Boreus found?
Range: QC to MN to TN and DC ; iNaturalist records of this species into southern North Carolina . Perhaps to be looked for in the mountains of South Carolina and Georgia?
What does Mid-winter Boreus eat?
The diet of the Mid-winter Boreus includes Recorded utilizing the mosses Dicranella heteromalla and Atrichum angustatum in Illinois. Host mosses include D. heteromalla and Atrichum spp. in New England.
When is Mid-winter Boreus active?
Mid-winter Boreus: seasonal activity - Nov-Apr (BG data).