Brachypanorpa oregonensis (McLachlan, 1881)
Diagnosis: This species usually has four ocellar bristles – two between the lateral ocelli, and one on either side of the median ocellus. Males have much paler wings than B. montana. Unlike B. sacajawea the pleural sclerotization of the 7th abdominal sclerite is only partial. The ventral part of the basal lobe of the dististyle is relatively small and the dorsal part can be seen in ventral view. Wings of the females extend only to the first abdominal segment.
Distribution – Geographical: western Oregon, southwestern Washington, northwestern California (Carpenter, 1953), and perhaps northeastern Utah.
Distribution – Temporal: 30 to 1220 m from 20 April to 4 August.
Ecology: In northwestern California this species is found on dense understory herbaceous vegetation in mixed forests only a few hundred meters from the moderating influences of the Pacific Ocean. At the top of Mary’s Peak in west-central Oregon this species is found in mature pine forests with much sparser vegetation.
Biology: Like other species of the genus, eggs of this species probably are laid in rotting wood, and the scarabaeiform larva goes through four instars, feeding on plant roots in the soil (Byers, 1997).
Notes: The name Brachypanorpa refers to the short-winged form of the females. Oregonensis refers to the state where this species was first encountered.
References:
Byers, G.W. 1990. Brachypanorpa sacajawea n.sp. (Mecoptera: Panorpodidae) from the Rocky Mountains. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 63(2):211-217. 12 figs.
-----. 1997. Biology of Brachypanorpa (Mecoptera: Panorpodidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 70(4):313-322.
Carpenter, F.M. 1953. The Biology of Brachypanorpa (Mecoptera). Psyche. 60:28-36.
McLachlan, R. 1881. On two new Panorpidae from western North America. Entomologist's monthly Magazine, 18:36-38.
