The Scorpionfly

A harmless tail like a scorpion

This insect has a tail like a scorpion. The curved tail cannot sting at all. It belongs to a very old order of insects. Fleas are its closest relatives.

Family tree

Mecoptera, Panorpidae

The scorpionfly is a small insect. Its name is Panorpa communis. Fleas share this branch of the family tree. A thin winged relative is the Green Lacewing.

15 mm with a curved tail

How to tell one

The body is thin and yellow brown. An adult is about 15 mm long. Two pairs of narrow wings rest on the back. Dark marks sit near the wing tips.

The head has a long beak. The jaws are tiny and sit at the tip. Males have a thick curved tail.

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Hedges and nettle beds

Where it lives

You find it in hedges and nettle beds. It likes damp woodland edges. It rests on leaves in summer.

Adults appear from May to September. The larvae live down in the soil. They need soft ground and dead leaves.

Dead insects and fruit

What it eats

Adults eat dead insects and fruit. They also drink nectar from flowers. Some steal food from spider webs.

They move in while the spider is busy. The larvae eat dead insects in soil. They help to clear the ground.

A gift for the female

The breeding cycle

The male offers a gift to the female. It may be a dead insect. Or it may be a ball of saliva.

The female picks the best gift giver. Eggs are laid in damp soil. The larvae take a year to grow.

Pesticides and hedgerow loss

Conservation

These insects have no Red List entry. Pesticides reduce their insect prey. Hedgerow loss removes their shelter.

Yet they remain common in many places. Thick nettle patches suit them well. Leaving wild corners helps them survive.

Quick hits

Five things to remember

• The tail looks scary but cannot sting.
• The male may offer a ball of spit.
• Fleas are close cousins of this insect.
• It can give off a bad smell.
• It cannot fly far in one go.