M is for... Menoptra

Butterfly-like inhabitants of the planet Vortis, which lay in the Isop Galaxy. They were the dominant species. Their ancients had built huge Temples of Light in which to deposit their dead, and a number of monuments dotted the landscape. The Menoptra lived a life of ease, to the point that they became idle and complacent. They forgot their own past, losing the location of the ancient temples, and they completely failed to spot a malignant alien presence which arrived in the depths of the flower forest.

This was a creature known as the Animus, a spider-like being which could manipulate gravitational and magnetic forces. 

Hidden within the forest, it was well-established by the time the Menoptra realised the risks it posed. It mentally enslaved the ant-like Zarbi, which they treated like cattle, and used them to launch an attack on the defenceless Menoptra. Many were killed, and the survivors were forced to flee to one of the many moons which the Animus attracted to Vortis, before settling on the planet Pictos. This world was further from its sun than Vortis, and the atmosphere thinner. The Menoptra realised that were they to remain here they would lose their ability to fly as their wings atrophied.

On Vortis, the Animus had established itself at the planet's pole and was busily creating an environment for itself - an organic complex called the Carsenome. This was slowly expanding and would soon encircle the planet.

The Menoptra launched a scouting party to Vortis, in advance of a full invasion force. Their scientists had devised a cell-destructor weapon - the Isop-tope - which they hoped would prove effective against the Animus.

Several of the party were captured, their wings bitten off by the Zarbi and set to work gathering material for the Carsenome to absorb and use to expand. The Doctor's companion Barbara encountered the remaining party members but was captured by Zarbi and sent to the Crater of Needles - a slave labour camp. She later escaped. Her companion Ian met another scout, Vrestin, and together they encountered members of a subterranean off-shoot of the Menoptra - the wingless Optera.

The invasion got underway, but unfortunately the Animus had learned of it from the Doctor, who had intercepted Menoptra communications. Only Captain Hilio survived, but he managed to bring the Isop-tope to Vortis. 

The Carsenome was attacked and the Animus eventually destroyed when Barbara used the weapon against it - the Menoptra having become entranced by the creature's bright lights, like moths with a flame.

With its death, the Carsenome quickly disintegrated. The Menoptra welcomed the return of the Optera to the surface of their planet, and the Zarbi returned to their docile ways. The Doctor urged that the Menoptra respect them better in future.

Played by: Roslyn De Wynter (Vrestin), Arne Gordon (Hrostar), Prapillius (Jolyon Booth), Martin Jarvis (Hilio), Jocelyn Birdsall (Hylnia), Arthur Blake (Hrhoonda). Appearances: The Web Planet (1965).

• You can read about other appearances by the Menoptra in other media here: TARDIS Musings: Episodes - Afterlife: The Web Planet
• This was the first appearance of Martin Jarvis in the series. He would later feature in Invasion of the Dinosaurs and Vengeance on Varos.
• Peter Purves had auditioned for the role of Hilio, but director Richard Martin thought he might be better suited for something else. Soon after, he cast him as tourist Morton Dill in The Chase - which led to him being offered the regular companion role of Steven Taylor.
• Martin used some of the Menoptra actors in The Chase. De Wynter played the ghostly Grey Lady, and Arne Gordon the Empire State Building tour guide.
• A number of older guide books claim that the Menoptra fur was yellow.
• The costume changed significantly between the Ealing filming and the later studio work. On film, the Menoptra faces are created using make-up only, and they wear cowled helmet-like headgear. Once in studio this was changed to more insect-like features with the upper half of the face now part of the furry headgear (see below) and only the lower portion made-up.
• The wings were spring-loaded to open, and once open proved difficult to close again to reset.
• A Menoptra costume at the Doctor Who Experience in 2014 and 2016. This was made for An Adventure in Space and Time: