Panorpa is the dominant genus of mecopterans, being widely dispersed in Europe, Asia, the eastern USA, and the Nearctic portion of Mexico. Interestingly, they are absent from western USA and Canada. Adults and larvae are carrion feeders.
Adults usually rest on understory vegetation in moist, forested habitats.
A few species, such as Panorpa nuptialis can be found in more open, grassy habitats. Males of many species have a horn on the sixth abdominal tergite which has been used extensively in separating them into species groups. Most adults have extensive dark pigmentation on the wings, giving them a speckled or banded appearance. One southerneastern USA species, Panorpa lugubris has such extensive pigmentation on both fore and hindwings that they are almost completely jet black. Another species, Panorpa nuptialis from the southcentral USA has bright yellow wings with three bold dark stripes and a red abdomen.