CLOSED: scorpion looking wasp

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Texasgrower Palestine, TX(Zone 8b) Nov 23, 2008

I found a wasp on my suet feeder that was dark brown with brown, white striped wings. It had the tail of a scorpion, I kid you not. When it walked on the leaves of a bush it walked with the tail over it's back like a scorpion. It had two little pincers on the tip of the tail like an ear wig. I hate scorpions. Gave me the heebie jeebies. Does anyone know of this creature?

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV Nov 23, 2008

Sounds like a male scorpionfly (order Mecoptera) - see http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/ejournal/cmw01/images/mecopteracover.jpg These insects are general predators on other small arthropods, and harmless to humans. The scorpionlike 'tail' is simply the male genital capsule.

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Texasgrower Palestine, TX(Zone 8b) Nov 24, 2008

well son of a gun. A scorpion fly. That pic would be him. Thank you for the id. How did you know about him?

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV Nov 24, 2008

They actually are fairly common, but often escape notice. We see them every summer in our yard and garden here in WV.

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Texasgrower Palestine, TX(Zone 8b) Nov 24, 2008

well, this was my first. It looked like he was eating my peanut butter/cornmeal suet for the birds. That "tail" still looks nasty. Just too much like a scorpion to suit me. If it weren't for the tail he'd be pretty. What do the females look like? The same w/o the tail?

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV Nov 24, 2008

Yes, the females are quite similar except for the tail. See http://www.stetson.edu/~pmay/bugs/mecoptera%201.jpg for an image of a female, and http://www.earthlife.net/insects/mecop.html for much more information on these fascinating insects.

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Texasgrower Palestine, TX(Zone 8b) Nov 24, 2008

thank you. You have educated me on a new find in my yard. A scorpion fly, who knew?

I'm going to mark this solved. Thanks again.

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