The Scarce Scorpion Fly

 

A recent trip to Wykeham Lakes, more specifically along Swanhills Lane to the west produced a rather unexpected lifer this past week, not least because its mid-October. A scan of some brambles on the south facing side of a hedgerow quickly produced a late and rather unexpected scorpion fly. I cant recall seeing many in September let alone October, although October is late for any of the British (winged) species. Fortunately it was a male and it posed nicely so I could get some detailed shots of the calliper (genital capsule) at the tip of the abdomen. This insect looked weird compared with the Panorpa Communis and P. germanica  that I am used to, especially the wing markings. A closer look at the calliper shaped showed the distinct V shape of P. cognata the Scarce Scorpion Fly. 

I will put on a quick and easy guide to identifying the three species of scorpion fly here, but without getting too much into the identification side of things it as is often the case was completely off my radar. Upon checking NBN Gateway the species is evidently under recorded, with only one other recorded in the vice county which was interestingly in relatively close proximity on the southern edge of Wykeham Forest approximately 5 miles north, albeit in very different habitat.  

Scarce Scorpion fly have a similar ecology to the other two commoner species (see...), however there is relatively limited information (from my searches) about which habitat niche they occupy and what makes good P. cognata habitat. Brock (2021) lists calcareous sites, damp woodland and scrub has habitat preferences which are all quite contrasting habitats from one another, suggesting a generalist, but evidently some other parameter must be of importance given its limited distribution. I have yet to record this from the limestone sites to the north or chalk sites to the south, nor indeed well established wet woodland sites like forge valley. Certainly now it is clearly present locally I need to pay closer attention to Panorpa.