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Scorpion Fly


Scorpion Fly
Photo Information
Copyright: Iulian Gherghel (IulianGherghel) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 155 W: 1 N: 347] (1228)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-07-03
Categories: Insects
Camera: Konica Minolta Dimage Z10, 2 GB, SD card
Exposure: f/3.2, 1/80 seconds
Photo Version: Final Version, Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-06-04 10:50
Viewed: 531
Points: 28
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Classification:
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Superclass Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Subclass Pterygota (Winged Insects)
Order Mecoptera (Scorpionflies, Hangingflies and Allies)
Family Panorpidae (Common Scorpionflies)

Explanation of Names
SCORPIONFLIES: refers to the appearance of the male's 3-segmented terminal appendage, which is held in an upward recurved position, and the last segment is bulbous at the base and sharply pointed at the tip, like a scorpion's stinger [scorpionflies do not sting]
PANORPIDAE: from the Greek "pan" (all) + "horpo" (a sickle); refers to the sickle-shaped curve in the terminal appendage of all males

Size
body 9-25 mm

Identification
Adult: head with elongated rostrum ("beak"); body typically yellowish-brown; 2 pair of wings, usually spotted or banded, and held in swept-back position at rest, giving V-shaped profile viewed from above
male abdominal appendage is described above; female abdomen tapers to slender tip, bearing two small finger-like cerci

Larva: resembles a caterpillar - head sclerotized (hardened); body nearly membranous, with setae (hairs) projecting from dorsal and lateral surfaces of abdominal segments; 3 pairs of conical thoracic legs; 8 pairs of smaller prolegs on first 8 abdominal segments

Range
eastern North America
the genus Panorpa also occurs throughout Eurasia and in Mexico

Habitat
variable: low shrubs and ground cover in densely-vegetated woodlands, often near water or wet seeps; grasslands; cultivated fields; forest borders
adults are usually seen resting on leaves less than a metre from the ground

Season
May to September

Food
adults feed mostly on dead or dying insects, rarely on fruit or nectar
larvae are scavengers, feeding on soft-bodied dead insects

Life Cycle
eggs are laid in the soil; newly-hatched larvae feed for a month or more, passing through 4 instars, then prepare a cavity in the soil to enter a resting stage which lasts for about 5 weeks; larvae then enter the pupa stage, which lasts 2 or 3 weeks in species that become adults in late summer, or several months in species that overwinter and emerge as adults in the spring

Remarks
Mating behavior begins with the male offering some kind of food, such as a dead insect or, often, a short column of a brown salivary secretion that becomes gelatinous as it dries in the air. The male also emits a pheromone (an air-borne chemical signal) from vesicles within the enlarged ninth abdominal segment. A female is attracted to the pheromone or the food, whereupon the male grasps the end of her abdomen with the claw-like appendages on his genital segment (dististyles). He also clamps the costal (front) edge of one of the female's forewings in a structure on the mid-dorsal part of his abdominal segments 3 and 4 (the notal organ). Mating then takes place as the female feeds.

by http://bugguide.net/node/view/9216
aes_thor, nglen, Amadeo, alikox, matatur, CatherineD, ramthakur, Dan, boreocypriensis, xTauruSx, anel, oanaotilia has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Dan: salutIulianGherghel 1 06-04 23:09
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi,
Great composition and nice details. Natural background and light.
TFS, cheers
Adrian

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1989 W: 5 N: 5528] (20896)
  • [2008-06-04 11:03]

Hi Iulian. This is a good close up of the Fly, with good detail and natural colours. You have captured a good POV showing the side view. I may have cropped the left side a bit more but that me. well done TFS.
Nick..

Iulian

What a mixed up looking creature. Nice capture with good focus and composition.

Jai

  • Great 
  • Amadeo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 194 W: 0 N: 645] (2867)
  • [2008-06-04 11:50]

Hola Iulian, excelente macro con muy buena definición en la mosca, agradables tonos de color y una luz adecuada. Un saludo

  • Great 
  • batu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1007 W: 285 N: 3322] (10976)
  • [2008-06-04 12:19]

Hello Iulian,
your picture shows the scorpion fly and in particular its beautiful environment
very well. Depth of field and focus plane are balanced in a way that a nice 3-dimensional impression
is produced. Light and colours are perfect.
An impressively natural picture.
Best wishes, Peter

Hi Iulian,

Great sharpness, detail and POV. All interesting, and somawhat scary, features of the fly are captured well.

TFS,
Ali

Superba insecta asta! Foarte frumoasa compozitia, claritate buna, dar cel mai mult imi place subiectul ! Felicitari!

A beautifully formed scorpion fly perfectly exposed in its natural patterns and colours, within its natural environment Iulian, TFS this fine macro-image my friend.
Mehmet

Hello Iulian,
Thanks to your photo, I understand the name Scorpion Fly. The position is very well captured. Beautiful colours too. TFS,
Catherine

I have seen a Scorpion Fly for the first time, thanks to you, Iulian.
The picture is remarkable in quality.
From your POV, you have captured its typical scorpion like shape very well. The focus, details and colours are first rate.
Well done and TFS.
Ram

  • Great 
  • Dan Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 112 W: 0 N: 352] (1729)
  • [2008-06-04 22:40]
  • [+]

Salut Iulian,

Interesanta este lighioana asta jumate tantar jumate scorpion. Nu am mai vazut asa ceva, sau am vazut da nu i-am dat importanta.
Poza foarte buna, pozitie excelenta. ai incercat sa lucrezi putin la marirea contrastuluio, accentuarea culorilor, etc ?

Hi Iulian, my dear friend,
a superb macro of this scorpion fly with superb clarity, wonderful DOF, POV and framing. Well done! TFS. Cheers,

Bayram

Hello Iulian superb macro capture of a scorpion fly with wonderful BG. TFS.
Greetings, Deniz

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1168 W: 0 N: 1959] (8315)
  • [2008-06-06 4:42]

hello Iulian,
J'ai remarqué cette belle photo il y a quelques jours, mais je n'ai pas eu le temps d'écrire. Je reviens donc lui faire une petite visite pout dire tout le bien que j'en pense. Excellent cadrage et image très naturelle. En plus une notice très détaillée.
Un grand merci. J'ai un fils qui s'appelle aussi Julian:-)
Anne

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 228 W: 0 N: 187] (900)
  • [2008-07-12 23:03]

Hello Iulian,
exciting and interesting shot as well asa the insect.
Great composition. Great clarity and sharpness for the creature to be scrutinise because it is so rare ( to me).
Great shot to share. Thanks,

Regards,
Foozi

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