Menoptera The Menoptera ( alternatively spelt Menoptra ) were one advanced species of the planet Vortis . Biology . Menoptera were humanoid in general appearance . They had human - like faces , but with large black eyes , black and white patterns and antennae . They had bands of black skin and white fur , which covered their bodies . Menoptera had four large wing s , which allowed them to fly . If removed , the wings would quickly grow back , but the Menoptera would be unable to fly again . ( TV : " The Web Planet " ) If only the wing membranes were damaged , they could still fly , though the Second Doctor admitted this was a puzzle as the Menoptera ' s size in relation to their wings shouldn ' t have enabled them to fly . However , isocryte that was present on Vortis was consumed in minute traces by the Menoptera and absorbed into their systems . Its anti - gravitic power allowed them to fly . ( PROSE : " Twilight of the Gods " ) They digested their food at least twice , drank acid s and usually built their nests in trees . ( AUDIO : " Return to the Web Planet " ) Technology . The Menoptera had weapons such as the Isop - tope , a living cell destructor , ( TV : " The Web Planet " ) and also a fleet of spacecraft , though they only constructed ships when necessary . They also possessed weapons and constructed villages in cliff - faces as well as temples to their Gods . ( PROSE : " Twilight of the Gods " ) Culture . The Menoptera worshipped the Gods of Light , which they did so in the temples which they carved into the mountains and plateaus . They also used these caverns to hold the bodies of their dead . ( TV : " The Web Planet " ) They tended to look down on those without wings , ( COMIC : " The Naked Flame " ) revelling in their ability to fly which they believed was given to them by their gods . ( PROSE : " Twilight of the Gods " ) History . The Menoptera originated on a different world before several of them were selected by two Gods of Light and relocated to Vortis as part of an experiment . Dozens of Menoptera were then taken over time and preserved like insects behind glass . ( PROSE : " Twilight of the Gods " ) In Menoptera mythology , Hruskin was considered the first Menoptera and the grandmother of all others . She was said to have created the Zarbi to act as slaves . However , Acheron told the Fifth Doctor that this was only a story for larvae . ( AUDIO : " Return to the Web Planet " ) Early in the history of Vortis , the Zarbi , led by a queen , fought a war against the Menoptera , forcing them to flee to the moons . An advance scouting party was sent to spy on the Zarbi , where they were attacked by a group of Atlantean s who had crash - landed there . Soon afterwards , the Menoptera discovered and captured the First Doctor . The Doctor escaped and encountered the Atlanteans , who took him to their ship , having assumed that he was one of them . The Atlanteans escorted the Doctor back to his TARDIS , where a battle between the Zarbi and the Menoptera was being waged nearby . From the TARDIS , the Doctor watched as the Atlanteans were cornered and killed by the natives of Vortis . ( PROSE : " The Lost Ones " ) The Menoptera were a peaceful species living on the planet Vortis . They led simple lives , and the most work they did was carving out the tombs for their dead . This all changed when the Animus invaded the planet via mind control of the Zarbi . They were forced to flee to Vortis ' new moon , Pictos . Many centuries later , the Menoptera were able to develop the Isop - tope , which they believed would be able to stop the Animus . They sent a scouting group to investigate , with a later force to attack via the Sayo Plateau . However , the scouts were overpowered and either captured or killed . Likewise , the spearhead of the attack was expected and most of the forces were decimated . Eventually , they warred against the Animus and the Zarbi with the First Doctor , Barbara Wright , Ian Chesterton , and Vicki , eventually defeating the Animus , leaving the inhabitants of Vortis to resolve their differences peacefully . ( TV : " The Web Planet " ) After the death of the Animus , the Clynex was allowed to grow . It began draining the life from the Menoptra , with only Jresta able to survive . The Fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith were able to save them from the Clynex by shattering it with his sonic screwdriver . ( COMIC : " The Naked Flame " ) The Menoptera and the Zarbi worked peacefully together for many years , until the Zarbi apparently developed flight and deadly stingers , which they used to attack Menoptera . The First Doctor , John and Gillian arrived and , investigating , discovered that the flying Zarbi were actually Zarbi - shaped vehicles piloted by Skirkon s , who had come to Vortis for its supplies of Galvinium X , and had enslaved the real Zarbi to oversee their Menopteran slaves . The Doctor and his grandchildren freed the Menoptera and defeated the Skirkons , who died when their base was destroyed . ( COMIC : " On the Web Planet " ) Several years later , Vortis ended up in the nearby Rhumos system , home of a warring race . The planet became disputed territory , the Menoptra being made slaves , a seed of the Animus surviving and building up a slave force from the Rhumon dead not helping . Eventually , the Second Doctor , Jamie McCrimmon and Victoria Waterfield helped the Menoptra defeat the Animus again , and made the Rhumons declare Vortis neutral ground . ( PROSE : " Twilight of the Gods " ) Though the Menoptera had come to peace with the Zarbi , eventually the Zarbi Supremo evolved and took over the Zarbi . Using advanced technology , it was able to move Vortis to an orbit around Jupiter . The Menoptera had caught wind of this , and took measures against this . They built up a force of spaceship s in order to fight against the Zarbi . They also created Zarbi - like suits , allowing them to infiltrate the hives . However , the agents were captured and controlled , though they refused to help the Zarbi take over Earth . Eventually , with the help of the First Doctor and a team of Earth scientists , the Zarbi Supremo was killed and the Zarbi were returned to their normal state . ( PROSE : " The Lair of Zarbi Supremo " ) In 2013 , the Eleventh Doctor , Ian Chesterton , and Barbara Wright walked past a cloaked Menoptera in the Cornucopia marketplace . ( COMIC : " Hunters of the Burning Stone " ) Behind the scenes . Production information for the television story " The Web Planet " originally spelled the name Menoptra . The novelisation and subsequent stories , however , have used the name Menoptera . The latter spelling had caught on .