Scorpionfly scavenging a meal

MarkSturtevant · Post by **MarkSturtevant** » Mon Apr 08, 2019 9:00 pm

Scorpionflies are somewhat odd looking insects that get their name from the scorpion-like tail that males have, as shown below. This is actually their genitalia.

Scorpionfly by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr

These insects are carnivores, but they probably get their meals by scavenging on most occasions. So one day I was deep in the woods (slightly lost, to be honest), when I
came across a female scorpionfly vigorously probing into a bird dropping.

Scorpionfly feeding from a bird dropping by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr

After some time, she managed to wrestle out the carcass of an insect. It looks like a rove beetle. I thought this was pretty interesting!

Scorpionfly and bird dropping, pt. 2 by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr

dunksargent · Post by **dunksargent** » Fri Apr 12, 2019 1:19 am

Very interesting; thank you for the story!

dunk

SteveB · Post by **SteveB** » Sat Apr 13, 2019 9:32 am

Wow! A very interesting observation.

Yawns · Post by **Yawns** » Sat Apr 13, 2019 1:53 pm

This is new to me .. scavangers .. because I assumed they fed on flowers.
I have never seen many .. maybe for 5-6 times and only on two occasions could I get close to take decent pictures ...
but now I understand why I always saw them near the campsite .. maybe because of the garbage ..

I have a picture where the fly is using the sexual organ as a tire-jack

Sippyjug · Post by **Sippyjug** » Sun Apr 21, 2019 10:49 am

This series gets my standing ovation!