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Garden Word of the Day
Are you fed up with greed?
Tell everyone how you feel.
#EnoughAlready
Tell everyone how you feel.
#EnoughAlready
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No, it's not a flying snake. Introducing another beneficial insect on the garden scene: the snakefly. I don’t know why they call it a snakefly. It doesn’t look like a fly or a snake. Apparently, snakeflies are native to the western half of North America, as well as Europe and Asia. Until yesterday, I had never heard of snakeflies. Let’s see what we can find out! The first thing I learned about snakeflies is that they are considered living fossils, having remained relatively unchanged for over 140 million years. Snakefly description Snakeflies (Agulla adnixa) have long, thin bodies with lifted torsos (prothorax), large eyes, extended mouthparts (mandibles), relatively long antennae, and a long, thin backend. Adults are reddish brown and can be 1/2 to 1” long. All four wings are transparent, and longer than the body, similar to lacewings (except that snakefly wings are covered with black veins). The long backend is not a stinger. Instead, it is an ovipositor, or egg-laying tube. Larvae have squishy bodies, and the head and first segment are hardened (sclerotised), but they look like a cross between an earwig and a ladybug larvae. [Sorry, but I couldn't find any free-to-use photos.] Snakefly larvae have 3 pairs of true legs, and, you won’t believe this: Snakeflies have an adhesive strip on their abdomens that allows them to move up walls and trees!
Snakefly lifecycle Eggs are deposited in the soil, where they are able to absorb soil nutrients to help them grow and develop. When they hatch, larvae stay in the soil or move to the bark of nearby trees. There, they feed on soft-bodied pests, such as grubs and caterpillars, as well as the eggs and larvae of many garden pests. Snakefly larvae go through as many as 10 moltings before reaching adulthood. This process can take 2 to 6 years. Next, after temperatures reach 32°F, the larvae enter a pupal stage. Unlike other insects, the snakefly pupa is mobile, leaving its pupal cell for day trips or to relocate. The pupal stage is temperature dependent, lasts a few days to 3 weeks, upwards of 10 months. [This is one long lived insect!] Adults snakeflies are very territorial as they feed on insects, such as mites and aphids. [Yay!] It is also believed that they occasionally nibble on pollen. Snakeflies court one another with cleaning rituals. You may see them practicing their flirting skills by cleaning their legs and antennae when alone. Have you seen any snakeflies in your garden? To me, they look almost Edwardian.
cody
5/17/2020 05:11:35 pm
hey i was bit by one a couple days ago, black, yellow stripes going along its abdomin. felt simular to an ant bite, not horribly painful but i deffinately smacked it.
Kate Russell
5/20/2020 06:23:35 am
Ouch! I don't blame you for smacking it, Cody. I do the same thing to any insect that bites me, too, beneficial or otherwise!
Pat Kolberg
5/24/2020 06:27:08 am
Found one last night for the first time. Very odd looking critter
Kate Russell
5/30/2020 06:52:03 am
Yay! You must have a healthy garden. Isn't it exciting, seeing all that biodiversity in action?
Georganne Wood
10/1/2020 06:27:04 pm
Found one in my kitchen last summer (I had all the doors open...) sitting in the sunlight. She looked like a tiny dragon made of molten bronze — really beautiful! I had to resort to my insect identification book to figure out what I was seeing. And today I found a snake fly larva crawling on my bedroom floor... don’t know where it came from, but I carried it back outside and let it go in the leaf litter.
Kate Russell
4/29/2022 07:22:46 am
How thoughtful of you! They really are beautiful, aren't they?
Cherry Edwards
4/26/2022 12:46:37 pm
I live in Cool Ca and found one on my pear tree this morning...so glad I read this article and discovered the are beneficial! Thank you.
Kate Russell
4/29/2022 07:23:42 am
Pears and snakeflies - you're doubly lucky!
Dawn Evans
6/25/2022 06:22:45 pm
Found one on my outside glass door she was so cool looking like a tiny dragon. I had to look it up and found this website. I live in Eastern Washington no trees around my yard I hope she finds an orchard! Maybe all the wind we have had brought her a little off course?
Kate Russell
6/28/2022 06:50:19 am
How exciting for you!
Jennifer Boyd
6/26/2022 05:44:20 pm
Found one today that I have never seen. My husband told me it was an ovipositor so I looked it up and your site came up. Thank you and now he/she is working in my garden!!
Kate Russell
6/28/2022 06:51:49 am
Hi, Jennifer.
Kaia Hilson
9/6/2022 05:50:04 pm
I have a Snakefly visit me often when I'm at my local bar. Today one just hung out and I gave it rocks to climb o. In my hand. And got a picture!!! That's how I found this. I call them dinosaur bugs and didn't know their real name! Thank you for the info!
Kate Russell
9/10/2022 08:15:29 am
What a great experience, Kaia! And I love the name! Comments are closed.
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