Mecoptera
Your insect is probably a scorpionfly
Fact file
Order: Mecoptera
Body length: 3 - 28 mm
Species: World - 500, UK - 40
Scorpion flies look similar to true flies but they have two pairs of wings which are similar in size and shape (true flies only have one pair of wings). In males the end of the abdomen is curved and held forward, so it looks like a scorpion's sting.
In the past people thought that earwigs could crawl into the ears of sleeping people, and bore into their brains - but don't worry, this is definitely not true!
