CLOSED: Some type of wasp?

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vossner East Texas, United States(Zone 8a) Apr 22, 2009

taken w/ cp.

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vossner East Texas, United States(Zone 8a) Apr 22, 2009

2nd pic

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV Apr 22, 2009

This is a male scorpionfly (order Mecoptera) in the family Panorpidae; genus Panorpa - see http://tinyurl.com/cz6s8r for an image. They are general predators on other small arthropods - I've even seen one take on a Japanese beetle! They are called scorpionflies because the males of some species carry their bulbous genitalia curled up over their abdomen, somewhat like how scorpions carry their sting.

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vossner East Texas, United States(Zone 8a) Apr 22, 2009

suunto, thanks. I double checked my pic and it does have the scorpion body.

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vossner East Texas, United States(Zone 8a) Apr 22, 2009

I would like to post in the bug files but don't know which one is is. It looks like nuptialis, what do you think?

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV Apr 22, 2009

Hmmm/ I'm not sure - what about Panorpa americana? See http://tinyurl.com/c76a5r

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vossner East Texas, United States(Zone 8a) Apr 22, 2009

me thinks you're right again. thanks.

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