Snakeflies
02 Jun 2025
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Snakeflies
Latin: Raphidioptera — Relevance to Fly Fishing:
Snakeflies are elongated insects with a distinctive neck-like structure, predatory larvae, and adults that feed on other insects, often found in forests.
Where you can find Snakeflies
On this map you see where there were observations of Snakeflies around the world. This will give you an idea of the global distribution of this class. Note that a class can have many different families, and thousands of species.
Diversity and distribution
The insect class Raphidioptera, commonly known as snakeflies, consists of approximately 260 known species. These insects are characterized by their elongated bodies, resembling a snake, with a distinct prothorax and large, transparent wings. Raphidioptera is divided into two families: Raphidiidae and Inocelliidae, with several genera within each family.
Raphidioptera insects can be found primarily in the Northern Hemisphere, with the majority of species distributed across parts of North America, Europe, and Asia. Snakeflies typically inhabit forested environments, where they can be found on tree trunks, branches, and leaf litter.
Life cycles of Raphidioptera
The life cycle of Raphidioptera insects consists of three stages: egg, larva, and adult. Female Raphidioptera lay their eggs in tree bark or leaf litter, depending on the species. Upon hatching, the predatory larvae feed on small insects and other arthropods. Raphidioptera larvae undergo several molts as they grow, and once they reach their final larval stage, they pupate in a cocoon-like structure to become adult Raphidioptera insects.
Raphidioptera and Fly Fishing
Raphidioptera insects, due to their relatively low abundance and because they primarily live on trees, are not typically relevant to fly fishing. While both larvae and adult snakeflies are predatory, their primary prey consists of small insects and arthropods, which do not coincide with the diets of most fish.
Additionally, Raphidioptera insects are not known to be a significant food source for fish, as they rarely end up in the water.
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