Whats this Bug?
Mr. Bugman,
Could you please identify this insect for me. I have been told it is a scorpian wasp but that is too obvious and I cannot find one on the internet. Also, I have several insect pictures posted at danesdigital.zenfolio.com listed under Danes Garage. I am posting pictures of all the little critters we find in and around our house here in East Texas. I noticed you also teach photography. Any feedback on my pictures would be appreciated as well. Thanks,
Dane Clark
Troup TX
Hi Dane,
This is a Scorpionfly, not a Scorpion Wasp. That might help you locate additional information. A Scorpionfly is neither a scorpion, nor a fly, but a member of the order Mecoptera (Scorpionflies, Hangingflies and Allies) and family Panorpidae. Adults feed on dead and dying insects, and occasionaly fruit. Check out BugGuide for more information. Your photo of the Scorpionfly is well exposed, in focus and reveals important anatomical features of the specimen. It would make a fine addition to our site as well as a fine illustration in a guide book. We would suggest higher resolution if you want to reproduce your images in print form.
Thank you for the information! We found one of these in our yard yesterday. We live in Wyoming and have heard scorpionflies are commonly found only in the south central part of the U.S. Any thoughts to the location of our find? Or, is my research right. My 85 year old grandfather said he has never seen one around here in all his life. We are hoping thAt they are harmless. Thank you!
Scorpionflies are harmless, and the information provided by BugGuide indicates that they are found in your area.