"Ben" wrote in message
...
Jeannie wrote:
"Ben" wrote in message
...

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?


I really am surprised that I'd never seen one before. Perhaps its down
to different conditions from region to region - based on experience in
other parts of the country I was expecting hoards of woodlice to come
scurrying out, yet there were none.

Earwigs are very common in my area (south west) you only have to go into the
garden and find some leaves/branches to find them hidding underneath.

On the subject of scorpions they are in the UK, and becoming more common,
there was something on the news a few weeks back about the change in the
weather and warmer climates meaning they are thriving in colonies in the
south east. They are not your usual 6" long black scorpion with deadly
poison, more 1cm with a sting like that of a bee!

Ben