Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
"Phil L" writes:
| Ben wrote:
| :: Pulling down some old fence panels to replace them today, I
| :: disturbed a large number of insects with crab-like pincers on
| :: their rear end. They looked like scorpions, but I wasn't aware we
| :: had any in the UK. What could they have been?
|
| Scorpions! - we do have them in the UK but they are rare...BTW, if the
| pincers were at their back end, it's unlikely they were scorpions -
| scorpions look a bit like lobsters, with their pincers at the front, on
| their 'arms' ...earwigs have pincers on their rear end?

Earwigs, almost certainly. Complete harmless, and not even much
of a nuisance in the garden.

Doh! I've looked up earwigs and thats what they are. I'm amazed that
I've never seen such an apprently common insect before.