To some this is a face that only a Panorpa mother could love but somehow I find them attractive.
Scorpionfly-Panorpa sp. A species ID without a look a the wings is difficult and this guy flew off after two shutter clicks. Actually I can’t be sure about the gender. This insect gets its name from the tail resembling a scorpion’s but we don’t really get a good look. If a male the tail curls up and is used to attract a mate. They feed on fruit and dead insects. They can also grab something from a spider’s web with those grippers on the end of its snout and are found throughout most of the eastern and central U.S. The round dark spot on the top of its head are the ocelli…simple eyes. Handsome devil.
Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog 
Yes, he is handsome.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad that you think so too, Lakshmi.
LikeLike
Top shot of this scorpion fly !
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Rudi!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting yes, handsome… Great shot
LikeLiked by 1 person
Did you leave out a word, Ted? 🙂 Thanks!
LikeLike
Oh yeah, a few. Something along the lines of ‘freaky looking little sucker’.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awww. You’re just jealous of a handsomer male. 🙂
LikeLike
😂😂, I’m about past my expiration date, so that would be just about everybody LOL.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me as well, Ted.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fascinating! I love that you hare teaching us all these nifty insects! I don’t know that I’ve ever seen this one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad that you are enjoying meeting them, Melissa. Thanks!
LikeLike
Having recently gotten a faceful of spider web, and having tried to untangle myself from an exceptionally sticky web, it’s amazing that this creature can pluck bits right out of a web. It certainly has the right tools.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s been awhile since I experience that, Linda. But I remember what a pain it is getting unwebbed. How insects and so many other creatures have adapted for success is amazing and in many ways puts our abilities to shame.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Amazing photograph! They obviously do an important job of cleaning up dead insects. Though the spiders may not be so happy…
LikeLiked by 1 person
There are enough spiders to survive a little web-snatching, I think. Thanks, Ann!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice capture. I don’t recall ever seeing a scorpionfly even though they’re apparently common in Texas. Here’s an article with an interesting description of mating behavior:
https://biodiversity.utexas.edu/news/entry/scorpionfly
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. Texas is the outer limit of there occurrence, I think, basing on from East to West spread. Thanks for the article. The male’s attraction action at one time might have worked for a human in a bar but not these days. Probably get him bounced.
LikeLike
Very “cool” looking insect! Great Capture! Enjoyed seeing your Panorpa image!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Reed!
LikeLike
As long as that guy is macro size and not dog size, I think he’s a handsome dude.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I sometimes try to imagine these as much larger roaming the countryside. Scary thought.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve no clue if I’ve ever seen one of these before. Looks very interesting, and I love how they can pull something from a spider’s web. I’d not have expected that.
LikeLike
You might have seen them and thought that it was a mosquito. I mentioned in an earlier post that people often do mistake them for those and kill them which is a shame. They are beneficial.
LikeLike