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?

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?

see he
http://www.ub.ntnu.no/scorpion-files/e_flavicaudis.php

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/eflavuk/mast.html

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.

There aren't any wild scorpions in the UK, though they might JUST
have established themselves in a few places (almost certainly in
buildings only). The furthest north they get naturally is southern
Europe. They have a sting (NOT pincers) as a tail, that curls up
over their back. Other than that, yes, they look a bit like
miniature lobsters.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

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.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote after
"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.

There aren't any wild scorpions in the UK, though they might JUST
have established themselves in a few places (almost certainly in
buildings only). The furthest north they get naturally is southern
Europe. They have a sting (NOT pincers) as a tail, that curls up
over their back. Other than that, yes, they look a bit like
miniature lobsters.

There are some alive and well and living in parts of the London Underground,
been there for a long time.
Luckily they aren't the really nasty ones.

--
Regards
Bob
in Runnymede, 17miles west of London, UK

On 26 Jul 2004 07:33:54 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:


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

There aren't any wild scorpions in the UK, though they might JUST
have established themselves in a few places (almost certainly in
buildings only). The furthest north they get naturally is southern
Europe. They have a sting (NOT pincers) as a tail, that curls up
over their back. Other than that, yes, they look a bit like
miniature lobsters.

Couple of years ago there was an item on Meridian news about a colony
in West Sussex, I believe.

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk

"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?

There are scorpions in the UK, mostly in small colonies in the south east of
England. However, scorpions have a sting at the rear end, and two crab like
pincers at the front end of their bodies. So, your description doesn't sound
like scorpions.

Common UK insects with pincers at the rear end would be earwigs, and the
somewhat larger Devil's Coach Horse.

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.

On 26 Jul 2004 07:33:54 GMT, (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.

There aren't any wild scorpions in the UK, though they might JUST
have established themselves in a few places (almost certainly in
buildings only).

In fact there are http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/eflavuk/mast.html

and even better

http://www.foundationtv.co.uk/brilli...how4item5.html
--
Martin

wrote:
:: On 26 Jul 2004 07:33:54 GMT, (Nick Maclaren)
:: wrote:
::
:: In fact there are http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/eflavuk/mast.html
::
Now, if you hadn't placed me in your killfile, you'd have known that I
posted this link 10 hours previously!

"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 once found one of these creatures in my bath and hysterically rang my mum
AND my dad and made them come to my house as I too thought I had discovered
a scorpion. Much laughing at my expense ensued when they realised that it
was in fact an earwig. I am blushing with the embarrassment of it all just
typing this message.

Jeannie



Jeannie


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.726 / Virus Database: 481 - Release Date: 22/07/04

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 once found one of these creatures in my bath and hysterically rang my mum
AND my dad and made them come to my house as I too thought I had discovered
a scorpion. Much laughing at my expense ensued when they realised that it
was in fact an earwig. I am blushing with the embarrassment of it all just
typing this message.

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.

On 26 Jul 2004 07:33:54 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:


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

There aren't any wild scorpions in the UK, though they might JUST
have established themselves in a few places (almost certainly in
buildings only). The furthest north they get naturally is southern
Europe. They have a sting (NOT pincers) as a tail, that curls up
over their back. Other than that, yes, they look a bit like
miniature lobsters.

Couple of years ago there was an item on Meridian news about a colony
in West Sussex, I believe.

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk

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 once found one of these creatures in my bath and hysterically rang my mum
AND my dad and made them come to my house as I too thought I had discovered
a scorpion. Much laughing at my expense ensued when they realised that it
was in fact an earwig. I am blushing with the embarrassment of it all just
typing this message.

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.

"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