Fun fact about the scorpion fly

Have you ever seen a scorpion fly? At first glance it looks like a potentially poisonous insect due to a globular structure that it presents in the last segment of its body. However, this small insect is harmless despite its appearance, its large stinger similar to the post-abdomen of a scorpion, is a reproductive organ that some males present in the last abdominal segment, it is characterized by presenting two hypovalves that serve to hold the copulation structure of the females and is a very important character for the determination of species.

In addition, the scorpion fly uses its reproductive organ as a deterrent against its predators, which is why they have an upward-curved abdomen exhibiting an unfriendly appearance for their predators, they are classified in the order mecoptera, they inhabit humid places with abundant vegetation and they are active for a short period of the year.