Panorpa germanica

The commonest species of scorpionfly in Norfolk, often found resting on vegetation during the day-time but sometimes also coming to light at night. Their flight times have two peaks, one from May to early June (sometimes appearing in April and continuing into July) and the other from mid August to early September (sometimes appearing from early August to late September). Intriguingly 75% of my records during the second flight period are of individuals attracted to light whereas 100% of my records during the first flight period were found during the day (I am yet to find any other scorpionfly attracted to light). Brock has given this species the vernacular name German Scorpionfly but this is not (yet) in widespread use.

Males are identified by the shape of the callipers on the top of their genital capsule. Actually, technically it's the bottom of the genital capsule, but since this is normally curved back over the rest of the abdomen so that it's upside-down, the callipers appear on top. These can be seen in a good quality sharp photo but I would advise checking the back of your camera to ensure they are clearly visible before leaving the insect, and catching it if necessary for closer examination. In germanica the callipers are broad at the tips compared to communis and the scarcer cognata.

male Panorpa germanica, Swanton Novers Great Wood (Norfolk, UK), 27th August 2019

male Panorpa germanica, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 30th August 2021

male Panorpa germanica, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 9th May 2020

male Panorpa germanica, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 12th May 2018

male Panorpa germanica, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 23rd August 2021

Females are identified by the shape of the ovipositor, but this is hidden inside the abdomen so this does require dissection.

female Panorpa germanica, Bintree Mill (Norfolk, UK), 9th October 2023

female Panorpa germanica, Ling Plantation, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 1st June 2022

female Panorpa germanica, North Elmham railway (Norfolk, UK), 3rd June 2022

female Panorpa germanica, Great Ryburgh (Norfolk, UK), 16th May 2017

The wings of this individual are among the less-marked, if not the least-marked, I've seen on Panorpa germanica. I wondered if the fact that it was in NW Scotland whereas nearly all the others I've seen have been in Norfolk was coincidental or if there was some regional variation. It turns out that there is a form borealis in Scotland which has reduced spots in its wings, or apparently sometimes completely lacking spots.

male Panorpa germanica (form borealis), Druimsornaig Cemetery, Mull (Argyll and Bute, UK), 9th June 2019

This individual has broad, bold and black tips to the forewing and the large central spots merged to form a continuous band across the wing, which according to Brock (2021) is diagnostic of communis, although Brock also sasys germanica has a more heavily-spotted inner half to the forewing which might perhaps give a Brock-user reason to question their ID as communis. In any case, these wing markings clearly are not diagnostic of communis as dissection proved that this was germanica.

female Panorpa germanica, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 3rd September 2019

This is another similar individual with a large dark apical spot and complete dark bar across the wings.

female Panorpa germanica, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 20th August 2024

female Panorpa germanica, Bittering (Norfolk, UK), 19th May 2016

The first of these is another individual which a Brock-user might be tempted to call communis based on the wing pattern (although again the strength of markings on the inner half of the wing would hopefully raise alarm bells).

2 x female Panorpa germanica, Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 1st September 2021

2 x female Panorpa germanica (different individuals to above), Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 1st September 2021

male Panorpa germanica, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 16th August 2022

male Panorpa germanica, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 25th May 2019

male Panorpa germanica, Banham Zoo (Norfolk, UK), 10th September 2016

female Panorpa germanica, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 19th May 2018

female Panorpa germanica, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 20th June 2022

female Panorpa germanica, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 27th May 2020

female Panorpa germanica, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 28th May 2018

female Panorpa germanica, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 28th May 2018

I suspect someone using Brock (2021) might be tempted to call this one communis based on its wing pattern. The black on the tip of the wing is extensive and although the band across the middle isn't complete, Brock only requires it to be "more-or-less continuous". And unlike the others above which show more continuous bands and extensively black tips, this one isn't very heavily spotted on the inner half of the wing.

female Panorpa germanica, North Elmham railway (Norfolk, UK), 20th September 2021

female Panorpa germanica, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 12th August 2020

female Panorpa germanica, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 25th May 2020

female Panorpa germanica, Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 25th September 2021

female Panorpa germanica, Queen's Hill (Norfolk, UK), 28th May 2016

female Panorpa germanica, Great Ryburgh (Norfolk, UK), 22nd May 2017

male Panorpa germanica, Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 30th April 2022

male Panorpa germanica, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 30th April 2019

male Panorpa germanica, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 9th May 2018

male Panorpa germanica, Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 13th May 2022

male Panorpa germanica, Gypsy Lane, Brancaster (Norfolk, UK), 24th May 2017

male Panorpa germanica, Ling Plantation, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 25th May 2022

male Panorpa germanica, Ling Plantation, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 4th July 2022

male Panorpa germanica, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 15th August 2022

male Panorpa germanica, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 22nd August 2022

2 x male Panorpa germanica (first two photos are one individual, the third is the other), North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 23rd August 2022

male Panorpa germanica, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 8th September 2021

male Panorpa germanica, Surlingham (Norfolk, UK), 27th August 2016

male Panorpa germanica, Thursfood Wood (Norfolk, UK), 17th May 2022

male Panorpa germanica, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 22nd May 2019

2 x male Panorpa germanica (first two photos are one individual; the last two are the other), North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 8th September 2020