Western Snakefly vs Japanese Snakefly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Western Snakefly	Japanese Snakefly
Scientific Name	Agulla adnixa	Inocellia japonica
Order	Raphidioptera	Raphidioptera
Family	Raphidiidae	Inocelliidae
Size	12-16 mm	12-18 mm
Habitat	Woodlands	Mountains
Diet	Predators	Wood Feeders
Regions	Western North America	East Asia, Japan
Conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern

Western Snakefly

A North American snakefly found in western forests and woodlands. Larvae develop under bark of conifers where they hunt bark beetle larvae.

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Did You Know?

Western snakeflies require a cold winter period to complete development, which is why they are absent from tropical regions.

Japanese Snakefly

An East Asian snakefly with the characteristic elongated neck-like prothorax. It is one of the few snakefly species found in the Far East, near the order's eastern range limit.

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Did You Know?

Raphidioptera are completely absent from the Southern Hemisphere, an unusual distribution pattern among insect orders.