Angel Insects or Zorapterans: Zoraptera

There are thirty-three species of angel insects worldwide. Angel insects are found on all continents, except Australia and Antarctica. Most species live in the New World tropics, but other species are known from North America, Southeast Asia, Africa, or the Pacific islands. Three species are found in the United States, including Hawaii.

Angel insects are found in warm, moist habitats, usually under the bark of dead, rotten logs. In the eastern United States, they also have been found in piles of sawdust in lumber mills. They are sometimes found with termites. Winged individuals are sometimes attracted to lights at night.

They feed on various parts of funguses or scavenge small, dead worms, insects, and mites. In captivity they will eat crushed yeast, rat chow, and sometimes each other.

No species of angel insects are endangered or threatened. The entire order is poorly known and many species are known only from single individuals. There has been some concern expressed for the Hawaiian species because of the loss of habitat. Unfortunately, there are no estimates of the population size of this or any other species, and it is impossible to say whether or not their populations are shrinking or growing in size.