Description
Scorpion Fly : Still life Drawing
This still life drawing of a Longhorn Beetle in intricate detail.
The Scorpion Fly is an insect which is found in gardens, hedgerows and woodland edges, particularly amongst nettles and bramble. It has a long beak-like projection from its head that is uses to feed, scavenging on dead insects and frequently stealing the contents of spider’s webs. It lives up to its name by sporting a scorpion-like tail, which the male uses in courtship displays. Adults usually mate at night, but mating can lead to the male being killed by the female. The male will present the female with a nuptial gift of a dead insect or a mass of saliva to placate her. The resulting eggs are laid in the soil and the emerging larvae live and pupate at the soil surface.
The Scorpion Fly has a black and yellow body, with a reddish head with a long beak, dark patches on the wings and a scorpion-like tail which does not sting (the male has two claspers at the end for mating). There is 3 species of Scorpion Fly that live in the UK and these are difficult to tell apart.
Dimensions:
Width – 220mm
Height – 220mm
Profile depth – 20mm
Finish:
Neat black wooden frame, ink on paper.
