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| 1 | 2 |  » Stats |
Members: 50,149
Threads: 82,329
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Top Poster: glsammy (15,069)
| | Welcome to our newest member, TransAmDan | |  | | 
23-06-2010, 07:12 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Barnsley
Posts: 1,345
| | | Scorpion Fly
Is this some kind of scorpion fly?
Thats the nearest I can come up with.Seen in woods near Barnsley.
Cheers,shenk1 |
23-06-2010, 07:21 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northants
Posts: 1,673
| | | Re: Scorpion Fly
Yes it is. But which one? It is a female as it lacks the scorpion tail. |
24-06-2010, 08:08 AM
|  | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London
Posts: 11,830
| | | Re: Scorpion Fly
Morning Shenk,
Yes, a Scorpionfly - I saw my first this year. Big old things aren't they!
As far as I know, you can use the markings on the wings as identification to a point, but there is a lot of apparent variability. Some people prefer male genitalia for certainty.
Take care, Jason 
Last edited by Jason Green; 24-06-2010 at 08:16 AM.
|
24-06-2010, 01:45 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Barnsley
Posts: 1,345
| | | Re: Scorpion Fly
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason Green  Some people prefer male genitalia for certainty. | You may say that but I couldn't possibly comment  
P.S. Thanks both!
Last edited by shenk1; 24-06-2010 at 01:52 PM.
Reason: add thanks
|
24-06-2010, 07:58 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: S. Devon
Posts: 3,893
| | | Re: Scorpion Fly
Yes the FSC have produced a Scorpion Fly ID guide in their Lacewing Guide but, and there is always a but isn't there, males can be identified by a really good photo of their genitalia; however most of them are a bit shy about exposing themselves in front of a lens!
Females have to be dissected for identification.
It is sometimes said that P. communis has heavier spotting, but this is unreliable.
This does appear to be a good year for them and I'm seeing a few in open sunny positions. I even had one perched on my window a couple of weeks ago. |
25-06-2010, 04:22 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Barnsley
Posts: 1,345
| | | Re: Scorpion Fly
Next time I see one I will endeavor to follow it to the toilets to try and obtain the aforementioned photo  
Cheers,shenk1 |
25-06-2010, 06:52 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: S. Devon
Posts: 3,893
| | | Re: Scorpion Fly
Try telling that to the judge! |
25-06-2010, 07:05 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Barnsley
Posts: 1,345
| | | Re: Scorpion Fly
He didn't believe me  |
25-06-2010, 10:04 PM
| | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London
Posts: 11,830
| | | Re: Scorpion Fly
So Geoff, what do you need to look at inside the girl? The only female work I know of is in Sawflies where you need to examine the teeth on the ovipositor - same with these then?  |
26-06-2010, 06:26 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: S. Devon
Posts: 3,893
| | | Re: Scorpion Fly
Well if you really want to know everything about them, plus full keys for all the Lacewings, I definitely recommend investing £7 in the Aidgap publication FSC Publications : A key to the adults of British lacewings and their allies (Neuroptera, Megaloptera, Raphidiptera and Mecoptera)
But basically the 'interesting female parts' are the ovipositor and in particular the shape of the anterior apodemes although there is also some variation in the genital plate.
Very basically, short anterior apodemes which are rather flat and well separated at their tips - P. communis. Medium sized rounder and straight but with well separated tips - P. cognata. Long and straight and only slightly separated at their tips - P. germanica.
Hope this abridged version is of some help. | | | |
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